Emma Thompson Exits Skydance Animation Movie ‘Luck’ Over John Lasseter Hire

By Matt Donnelly

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Emma Thompson has dropped out of the voice cast of Skydance Animation’s upcoming film “Luck,” a spokesperson for the actress told Variety.

The beloved British star did some recording for the project, but dropped out in January, following John Lasseter’s hire to the top animation job at David Ellison’s studio, an insider close to the film added.

had no comment. Thompson had no comment beyond confirming her departure from the movie.

Lasseter’s hire made waves at the beginning of the year, as the former Disney-Pixar kingpin left his animation studio in a cloud of misconduct accusations before spending a year away from the business entirely.

At the time, Skydance CEO Ellison sent a lengthy internal memo to staff saying he’d conducted an independent investigation into the Lasseter accusations and was confident of his innocence. The studio also held a series of town hall meetings, where female staff aired their anxieties and complaints over the abrupt appointment.

Thompson’s departure would be the first instance of top talent refusing to work with the studio in light of Lasseter. The executive has spent nearly two months at the helm, drumming up a development slate and working on two titles already announced.

“Luck” is set in a world about two opposing forces that control destiny, good luck, and bad luck. That is directed by Alessandro Carloni and set for release in 2021. Also slated in “Split,” about a teen with magical powers, featuring the female writer-director team of Vicky Jensen and Linda Woolverton (“Shrek”). No additional cast has been announced for “Luck,” and the insider Variety spoke with was not aware of a possible replacement for Thompson.

Thompson will next be seen in the Amazon Studios comedy “Late Night” from Mindy Kaling, as a talk-show host in decline whose character, coincidentally, faces workplace misconduct accusations.