Key ‘Lockwood & Co.’ Scene Axed Because It Was Too Expensive
Lockwood & Co. has been making waves on Netflix since it first dropped at the end of January 2023. The supernatural series has drawn in viewers of all ages, but young fans have found a lot to love in the show, which features a talented cast of performers. Lockwood & Co. is based on a popular book series, and while the episodes remain relatively consistent with the events of the books, there were a few things that creators had no choice but to change. In a recent interview, creator/director Joe Cornish opened up about one specific scene that he had to cut from Lockwood & Co. because it was too expensive.
‘Lockwood & Co.’ is based on a bestselling book series
Lockwood & Co. is based on a bestselling series of young adult novels by Jonathan Stroud. The series consists of five books, which started publication in 2013 and concluded in 2017. With so much source material, those who were adapting the show for the small screen had a lot to work with. Cornish said he wanted to keep the show as faithful as possible to the books in a recent interview with the Radio Times. However, some changes were unavoidable.
What did Joe Cornish say about cutting one specific scene from the ‘Lockwood & Co.’ series?
One big change was the removal of an extended fight sequence. The reason? It would have been too expensive to film.
“There is a big sequence at the beginning of book two, where George and Lockwood go off and fight spectres on a common and they get beaten by Kipps’ crew,” Cornish said. “It was just a massive set piece that didn’t actually advance the story and we didn’t have the time or money for it. Having said that, we’ve had the time and money for absolutely every other set piece in the books. But that one we didn’t get to do.”
Cornish noted how they were able to find a way around the scene in the series. “Instead the characters come in and talk about it. It would be lovely for it to have been a 20-episode series with £20 million per episode, then we could have done all that stuff!” he said. The director also discussed how he worked closely with Stroud in adapting the books to the series, and that they focused very carefully on getting the casting just right for each character.
Will ‘Lockwood & Co.’ be renewed?
In January 2023, Netflix premiered Lockwood & Co., which topped the streaming charts in the weeks after its release, despite not having received a renewal to date. During its first full week of streaming, the show accumulated 39.4 million hours viewed, according to Pop Culture. Critics and fans alike gave the show rave reviews, confirming that Cornish’s hard work was well worth the effort.
However, a second season of Lockwood & Co. is not guaranteed. According to Forbes, the show started to decline in viewership beginning in early February, which isn’t a good sign for those hoping for more of the supernatural series. Additionally, Netflix historically has shown a tendency to cancel shows aimed at young adults. For now, there’s nothing that fans of Lockwood & Co. can do but wait and watch, hoping that the popular ghost show will get the green light for more episodes.
