Raise your horns, prepare for adventure, and get ready to be served a Happy Meal because three Adult Swim series are getting the feature film treatment.
It's been announced that films for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Metalocalypse, and Venture Bros. will be released worldwide on Blu-ray/DVD and PVOD, and electronic sell-through. Each title will be made available for a total of 90 days before arriving on HBO Max and Adult Swim.
“Leveraging the power of WarnerMedia allows us to deliver original content to our amazingly dedicated and not-shy fans, while also giving our talented series creators an opportunity to tell stories in new and interesting ways,” said Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force will pick up where the hit animated series left off, and continue the off-color misadventures of Rylock, Meatwad, and Master Shake, who fancy themselves crime fighters, even though they never actually fight crime. Created by Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, Aqua Teen Hunger Force premiered in September 2001 and aired for an impressive 11 seasons. The show was widely popular with those who enjoy a bit of crude humor or the late-night acid trip vibes of something like MTV's Liquid Television.
When the Venture Bros. movie comes barreling onto screens, "Doc’s latest invention will either bankrupt the Ventures or launch them to new heights, as Hank searches for himself, Dean searches for Hank, The Monarch searches for answers, and a mysterious woman from their pasts threatens to bring their entire world crashing down on them." The Venture Bros. is created, written, and executive produced by Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer. The laugh-out-loud animation first appeared as a pilot in 2003, before airing its first season in August 2004. The show spanned 7 seasons and 4 specials throughout its 15-year run on Adult Swim.
Lastly, we have Metalocalypse. The new film, from co-creators Brendon Small and Tommy Blancha, "follows the power-hungry Tribunal as they unveil their secret and deadly “Falconback Project”. This is against a backdrop of a world that is growing embattled in chaos with the menacing Doomstar breaching the Earth’s atmosphere. Meanwhile, the mysterious and twisted descent of a band member threatens the future of Dethklok. Picking up directly after the heroic rescue of Toki Wartooth: Can Dethklok choose between their egos and the greater good of the world to embark on a gauntlet of dangers that will try their very souls and finally write the song that will be their salvation?" Small is responsible for the show's original music, which is as legit as it comes. The show brought 63 episodes to the Adult Swim stage in 2003, lasting for 4 seasons before ending with the half-hour special The Doomstar Requiem in 2013. The series revolves around the fictional death metal band Dethklok, which has sold 1 million albums in the real world. The band's 2007 album, Dethalbum, debuted at #21 on the Billboard 200 chart. Naturally, the film will boast a new soundtrack that will be released on WaterTower Music.
The phrase "everything old is new again" holds a lot of water in today's entertainment stratosphere. Nostalgia is a hot ticket, and the executives over at Adult Swim know it. I might have missed the boat on these series, but I have plenty of friends who I know will be excited by today's news. There's also a lot to be said about revamping beloved properties for an audience that never wanted to say goodbye to their animated friends. Be sure to keep an eye out for more details as these projects develop.