An animated series based on SEGA's iconic sword and sorcery side-scrolling beat 'em up, Golden Axe, is on the way, but fans hoping to see an even semi-serious take on the classic arcade game might be disappointed!
Co-created by Mike McMahan (Star Trek: Lower Decks, Solar Opposites) and Joe Chandler (American Dad, Napoleon Dynamite animated show), the 10-episode Comedy Central show will put a meta comedy spin on the medieval fantasy adventure.
Emmy winner Matthew Rhys (Widow’s Bay) will provide the voice of Gilius Thunderhead, described as “a grumpy battle dwarf with exceptionally poor hygiene and a chip on his shoulder.”
Liam McIntyre (Spartacus, Marvel’s Wolverine video game) plays the game's poster boy, Ax Battler, “a barbarian warrior with a strict code of honor and sweet golden retriever demeanor.”
Lisa Gilroy (Jury Duty) rounds out the trio of heroic warriors as Tyris Flare, who is “deadly in a fight and even deadlier with her sharp wit.”
The series will also feature Danny Pudi as Hampton Squib, described as “a naive, inexperienced first-time adventurer who has dreamt of questing his entire life,” and Comedian Carl Tart as Chronos “Evil” Lait, “an uncomfortably cheesy humanoid panther.”
"The main plot of the animated comedy follows the reunion of Gilius, Ax, and Tyris to take down Death Adder, who just won’t seem to stay dead. Their mission becomes complicated by the arrival of Hampton, who wants to join their quest but remains wildly underprepared for the adventures ahead."
McMahan and Chandler will co-write the first episode of the series while also serving as executive producers, with Chandler as showrunner. Haruki Satomi, President and CEO of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., Shuji Utsumi, president and COO of Sega Corporation, and Sega’s Toru Nakahara will also executive produce. Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty and Toby Ascher of Original Film will executive produce, along with Titmouse’s Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio and Ben Kalina.
Titmouse will serve as the animation studio for the series. CBS Studios’ animation arm, CBS Eye Animation, will produce along with Sony Pictures Television and Original Film.
Check out the trailer and some promo images (via EW) below.