Netflix explains scrapping Halle Berry Mothership movie, says actors agreed ‘better to not watch it’

The Mothership won’t be touching down at Netflix, but according to those involved, that’s for the best.

Last week, EW learned that the Halle Berry-led sci-fi drama had been pulled from the streamer’s calendar, with no plans to complete and release the film. At a Wednesday press event, reps for the company revealed that the film’s cancellation was a mutual decision between its stars, producers, and Netflix itself.

“It doesn’t happen very often, it’s very rare,” said the company’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria. “If you think about how many things we make, it’s a rare thing. But it was one where there were lots of production issues, creative issues, and everybody on both sides, the talent and us, just agreed that it was better to not watch it.”

Bajaria didn’t offer specifics, but added, “Everybody just felt like it was the right thing to not do it, and to do something else together eventually.”

Representatives for Berry did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

The decision, announced earlier this year, was particularly controversial in the wake of various studios opting to shelve already filmed projects for the sake of securing tax write-offs. Warner Bros. was the first major studio to make this move, pulling three nearly completed films — Coyote vs. Acme, Batgirl, and Scoob! Holiday Haunt — since 2022.

The Mothership would have starred Berry as a newly-single mother, struggling to raise her kids following the mysterious disappearance of her husband. A year after he vanished, she discovers an alien mothership under their rural farm, which sends her and their kids on a wild adventure in search of answers and their loved one.

Matthew Charman, who co-wrote Bridge of Spies with the Coen Brothers, was set to make his directorial feature debut on the project, with a script that he wrote. The film also starred Molly Parker (House of Cards), Omari Hardwick (Army of the Dead), Rafael Silva (9-1-1: Lone Star), Sydney Lemmon (Helstrom), John Ortiz (Fast & Furious), and Paul Guilfoyle (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation).

At least for Berry, the “something else” that Bajaria alluded to could be just around the corner.

The actress has a multi-picture deal with Netflix, which was brokered after the released of her directorial debut, Bruised, in 2020. She will next star in The Union, an action-thriller for the streamer, along with J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter, and Mark Wahlberg.

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