Millie Bobby Brown’s planned Netflix film about Olympic gymnastics hero Kerri Strug has been scrapped after the actress departed the project due to creative differences, two sources with knowledge of the situation have confirmed.
Perfect, which was announced last September, would have seen Brown star as Strug, the gymnast who famously performed a vault on an injured ankle to help the United States win gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, becoming one of the most enduring images in the sport’s history.
Brown had also been set to produce the film under her PMCA production company.
The project had already undergone one significant change before Brown’s exit, with original director Gia Coppola departing and being replaced by Cate Shortland.
Ronnie Sandahl had been attached as screenwriter.
Nik Bower of Riverstone Pictures and Thomas Benski for Magna Studios were on board as lead producers.
Strug’s story remains one of sport’s most remarkable moments. At just 18, she completed her vault despite a badly injured ankle, landing cleanly before collapsing in pain.
Her coach carried her off the mat and later to the podium when her team insisted she join them for the gold medal ceremony.
The moment became iconic, leading to a wave of media appearances, an SNL parody and a spot on the Wheaties box.
After retiring from gymnastics, Strug built a career as an elementary school teacher and later worked in roles at the White House and the Justice Department.
Despite the setback, Brown’s Netflix slate remains busy.
She has just wrapped five seasons of Stranger Things, with Enola Holmes 3 due to premiere on the platform this summer.
She has also completed production on the romantic comedy Just Picture It, in which she stars and produces alongside Gabrielle LaBelle, and is developing Nineteen Steps, an adaptation of her debut novel.
