It's been one year since Scott Pilgrim Takes Off debuted on Netflix. The anime adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's hit graphic novels arrived on the streaming platform on November 17th. And now, one year later, instead of celebrating the anniversary, fans are mourning the show's cancellation.
O'Malley took to social media this week to confirm the sad news.
"It was an honor to work with all of the cast & staff around the world. It was like conducting a symphony orchestra every day. From the moment @bdgrabinski sparked the idea, the project felt like a one of a kind miracle," he wrote on Twitter/X. "Anyway, we were recently informed that the show will NOT return"
O'Malley did say that they had only intended Scott Pilgrim Takes Off to last for one season, noting they had to call in "a lot of favors to make it happen, so making one more would have been nearly impossible."
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off will remain available on Netflix for the foreseeable future. O'Malley confirmed that the streaming platform has a period of exclusivity but after that, it's possible that the series could get a physical release. Ultimately, it will be up to Universal.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is an adaptation of O'Malley's graphic novel series, which was previously adapted into a live-action film in 2010 titled Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Directed by Edgar Write, the film bombed at the box office despite positive reviews and praise for its visual style and ultimate. The movie ultimately gained a loyal cult following that desperately hoped for a sequel.
“Over the years fans had asked if there would be a sequel to the film or some other kind of continuation,” Wright said when the anime series was first announced. “I knew that a live action sequel was unlikely, but I would usually defer by suggesting that perhaps an anime adaptation was an interesting way to go. And then, lo and behold, one day Netflix got in touch to ask about this exact idea. But even better, our brilliant creator Bryan Lee O’Malley had an idea that was way more adventurous than just a straight adaptation of the original books.”
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off saw the return of many of the original film's cast, including Michael Cera as the 23-year-old bass player of Sex Bob-Omb, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona, Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, Anna Kendrick as Stacey Pilgrim, Brie Larson as Envy Adams, Alison Pill as Kim Pine, Aubrey Plaza as Julie Powers, Johnny Simmons as young Neil, Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, Ellen Wong as Knives Chau, and Satya Bhabha, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and Mae Whitman as the Evil Exes. The anime series was created, written, and executive produced by O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski with music (including new original songs) by Anamanaguchi (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game) and Joseph Trapanese.