Netflix Scraps Olympic Drama PERFECT After Millie Bobby Brown Drops Out
There’s some disappointing news coming out of Netflix, especially for fans of sports dramas. The film project Perfect, which was set to tell the incredible true story of Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug, has officially been scrapped.
The project hit a major roadblock after Millie Bobby Brown exited the film, and it looks like that was enough for Netflix to pull the plug entirely.
Brown was attached to play Strug, the Olympic hero who became a defining figure of the 1996 Summer Games. According to sources, her departure stemmed from creative differences with producers.
While neither Netflix nor Brown’s team offered any comment, the fallout clearly had a ripple effect that the production couldn’t recover from.
This one had a strong creative team behind it. Gia Coppola was originally set to direct before stepping away earlier this year, with Cate Shortland coming in as her replacement. The script came from Ronnie Sandahl, and the film was gearing up to begin production this summer. Instead, it’s now been shelved completely.
The story at the center of Perfect is one that sports fans know by heart. Strug was part of the legendary “Magnificent Seven,” the U.S. women’s gymnastics team that took gold in Atlanta.
Her final vault, performed on an injured ankle, became one of the most unforgettable moments in Olympic history. The image of her sticking the landing, only for her ankle to give out moments later, and then being carried off by her coach Béla Károlyi, is burned into sports history.
It sucks that the project was cancelled. This is the kind of real-life story that feels tailor-made for a compelling film. And honestly, it’s surprising Netflix didn’t try to recast the role and keep things moving. There are plenty of more talented actresses who could’ve stepped in and brought Strug’s story to life.
Even with this setback, Netflix and Brown are still very much in business together. The streamer is gearing up for Enola Holmes 3, which is expected to arrive sometime this year. Brown also has other projects in development with Netflix, including Just Picture It and Nineteen Steps, the latter based on her own novel.
Of course, both Netflix and Brown are coming off the massive success of Stranger Things, which wrapped its run with a record-breaking final season in December.
Still, it’s hard not to feel like Perfect was a missed opportunity, especially with a recasting possibility.
Source: Deadline