We all know that Netflix is pretty chill with letting their writers referencing stuff from their direct competition. But when the anime seriesScott Pilgrim Takes Offwas greenlit by the streamer, there was one element that just wouldn’t fly: Ramona Flowers’ (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) job. In the comic books and the 2010 movieScott Pilgrim vs. The World, Ramona works as a courier for Amazon, which she does pretty efficiently by skating through Canada. In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, series co-showrunner and executive producerBenDavid Grabinskirevealed that they needed to change the company she worked for.
Grabisnki stated that he and franchise creatorBryan Lee O’Malleywere fully aware that Netflix would never allow Ramona to be an Amazon courier, since that would essentially serve as free propaganda for theirrival streaming platform– especially when you consider that Amazon tends to sell their delivery system and streaming subscription as one package. However, Grabinski also revealed that there was a bit of trouble even when they decided to make Ramona a Netflix DVD courier.
“Bryan and I and were writing one day thinking, they’re never going to let us have her deliver packages for Amazon. Then one of us thought of this idea. When we first sent it in [to Netflix] someone said, ‘Well, we don’t know if we can clear that through legal.’ I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? You cannot do this joke that she delivers DVDs for Netflix? Come on, you’re Netflix! Figure it out!’”
Netflix Was Hesitant to Bring Up Its DVD Mailing System
It’s easy to see why Netflix might have been hesitant to make their DVD delivery system an element in the story. Earlier this year, the streaming company decided to terminate its 25-year DVD mailing service, and the decisionwas met with severe disappointmentby people who still used it. But it seemed like Netflix ended up deciding to take the joke,just like they did withBlack Mirror.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Offwill not be a re-telling of the 2010 movie, but it will bring back Ramona’sseven evil exesand, of course, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera). The whole cast agreed to return to voice their characters, and director Edgar Wright (Baby Driver) came back as producer. Episodes were brought to life by Japanese studio Science Saru, which also didStar Wars: Visionsepisodes. Comic book author and executive producer Bryan Lee O’Malley wrote the episodes.
Netflix premieresScott Pilgrim Takes Offon November 17. You can watch the trailer below:
