Do you have any non-specific thoughts or sentiments regarding Alex's comatose Netflix project, UAHP/Untitled Alex Hirsch Project, in 2026? You've shared your ruminations about such many times elsewhere outside of Tumblr (primarily Reddit) and I'm just wondering, has anything changed?
Having seen myself what leaks there have been of the stalled project, for me the biggest casualty has to be its unique background art & environmental design, plus the map of the series' general setting showed so much promise (on a side-note, I do wonder whether its presumable US setting was supposed to be an East Coast or a West Coast one).
Also, it is pretty funny that "UAHP" was straight-up an actual placeholder name for the project given its watermarking all over the development artwork. Guess the name of the setting itself would be too telling if that were to have leaked.
I've given up hope honestly. I think at the back of my mind there was some optimistic voice that used to have hope it would take off again and fueled by Alex Hirsch's own words.
But I think it's safe to say that in the animation industry, when a project is said to be in development hell or not actively being worked on, that's just saying it's been cancelled with extra steps. UAHP was canned from the sound of it, in 2022 when Netflix went into panic mode with their first few losses and it just never recovered.
It all falls down to Alex having an idea that Netflix does not wanna pay the full cost of. Those leaks depict a very highly detailed project that required likely A LOT of money to make happen and Netflix just wasn't gonna do it, even if it was commanded by a name like Alex Hirsch. Netflix must just have been very scared of loss and taking a risk now that they didn't even give him the full support (that or UAHP was more expensive than planned and they pulled the plug).
At this point in time, it's been 10 years since Gravity Falls ended. The fandom expectation has never been higher. Fans are either gonna want more Gravity Falls content or if they get something new, they want a huge project from it for all the waiting. There's probably people who were kids when GF ended who are now in college and forgotten they were waiting for this. I think unless Netflix was to give Alex the full support or Alex was willing to break the stall by letting the budget take a hit, we're not seeing UAHP.
And it leaves you with a sad realization. A fan like you or me will probably be able to forgive a lower budget feeling UAHP if it delivers a story that is worth the wait and the occasional big animated moment they focus the budget on with like...idk, hiring James Baxter, lol. But the mainstream viewer who doesn't understand the animation project and all this back and forth, will just call it a waste and say 10 years of waiting was for nothing. Alex Hirsch wouldn't be getting praise for getting his show finally out but backlash for a show that isn't on par to what fans were expecting.
And yes, again, we all would get it and defend him perhaps. But it would be a losing battle, especially if Alex himself was not able to be open about all the issues he had behind the scenes, which rn he can't.
So, for him the easiest plan likely is to ride out the rest of his deal, help on various odd projects for them here and there, bail when he can, spill the tea if allowed and use the support and sympathy to start over with a new network that wants to give him the show. All while in the meantime doing GF side quests like TBOB and art book or even going to Disney again which would be that Thanos meme IRL, lol.
Many are saying Alex should go indie but I honestly don't see that happening given the stuff Alex probably has in mine to make and not it being something you can just crowd fund. Plus, I think that would probably just steal some spotlight from Matt and Dana who are doing that already and Alex as we have seen is not the type to try and step on the feet of his friends doing their own thing like that. I think Alex at most will either try to get something new done with Netflix, return to GF or give it a crack at a new studio once he's out of there.
It's a sad situation as it means over 10 years have been wasted with this back and forth mess that we could've had to watch a new Alex Hirsch series. I mean, if UAHP had aired around 2023 or something, we'd already have gotten perhaps a second season by now and be celebrating one of the biggest and most anticipated shows in animation history happening.
I guess just like the universe where Michael Jackson lived and Concorde was still flying, that's a scenario too perfect for this crappy timeline we're in.
RIP, UAHP. I hope I am wrong, but I have my doubts. Though, feel free to mock me if at years end, Alex reveals he has gotten his show going again, lmao.
