Scott Pilgrim vs. the World always seemed destined for an animated series, rather than the live-action adaptation we got—don't get me wrong, I like Michael Cera's awkward mien as much as the next guy, but the comic's bombastic video-gamey style and expressive art always seemed like a natural fit for a cartoon.
So imagine my delight when I heard it was getting the Netflix treatment in November last year. Now we've got more details—including a smashing little preview trailer that you can watch below—and I'm confident this series is going to fully realise the potential its 2010 movie adaptation missed. I'm only surprised it's taken this long.
It's got crunchy guitar solos, it's got retro video game effects, it's got some killer-looking action scenes—and I'm pretty much sold. It only took 19 years, but it seems like fans of the comic really are getting an animated series that does Scott Pilgrim justice.
What's more, it's going to be getting most of the movie's main cast back together for a second run at their roles. This was revealed back in March, and re-affirmed by an official announcement by Netflix which accompanied the trailer yesterday. So that means Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead—the cast's just as star-studded as before.
Edgar Wright—the live-action film's director, also responsible for movies like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End, and Baby Driver—is serving as an executive producer on the series, alongside BenDavid Grabinski and Scott Pilgrim's original creator, Bryan Lee O’Malley. It's also being animated by Science SARU, known for anime like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!—they also handled a couple of shorts from Star Wars: Visions, titled Akakiri and T0-B1.
That's a lot of good heads working behind the scenes, so I'd be astounded if they mess it up. You'll be able to watch Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix November 17.