Sega's Classic Video Game 'Golden Axe' to Become Animated Comedy Series on Comedy Central

Comedy Central has announced that it will adapt Sega's classic 1989 video game 'Golden Axe' into a 10-episode animated comedy series. The show will be co-written and executive produced by Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler, with Chandler also serving as showrunner. Animation will be handled by Titmouse studio.

The series will follow the events of the first 'Golden Axe' game, but with a comedic twist. It will feature many familiar characters from the game, including Ax Battler (voiced by Liam McIntyre), Gilius Thunderhead (Matthew Rhys), and Tyris Flare (Lisa Gilroy), as they battle to save the Kingdom of Yuria from the villainous Death Adder. The show will also introduce a new character named Hampton Squib, played by Danny Pudi of 'Community' fame.

Carl Tart will voice the character Chronos 'Evil' Lait from 'Golden Axe III'. The series aims to present the 'Golden Axe' story through a comedic lens, finding humor in the goofy elements of the original game while still paying homage to it.

Why this matters: The 'Golden Axe' animated series is part of a growing trend of video game properties being adapted into film and television, following successful examples like 'The Last of Us', 'Sonic the Hedgehog', and 'Castlevania'. As the video game industry continues to mature and its iconic franchises become more recognizable to mainstream audiences, adaptations like this allow beloved games to reach new viewers and potentially spark renewed interest in the original titles.

The animated series is being produced by CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television. It comes as a new installment in the 'Golden Axe' video game franchise is also announced to be in development. The most recent entry in the series was 2008's 'Golden Axe: Beast Rider', which was poorly received by critics.

No premiere date for the 'Golden Axe' animated series has been announced yet. The show's comedic take on the classic game has the potential to appeal to both fans of the original and newcomers to the franchise. As executive producer Mike McMahan states, "We are going to pull every funny bit we can out of the irreverent core of the game and the fantasy setting."

Key Takeaways

• Comedy Central to adapt Sega's 'Golden Axe' into 10-episode animated comedy series.
• Series to follow events of first 'Golden Axe' game with comedic twist, featuring familiar characters.
• New character Hampton Squib, voiced by Danny Pudi, to be introduced.
• Trend of video game adaptations into film/TV continues, allowing reach to new audiences.
• A new 'Golden Axe' video game installment also in development alongside the animated series.