Genndy Tartakovsky is one of the most original and influential voices in animation.
Even if you don’t know his name, chances are you’ve seen (and, undoubtedly, been dazzled by) his work. Tartakovsky has been responsible for everything from Dexter’s Laboratory to Samurai Jack to all three Hotel Transylvania films to his latest endeavor – the brutal, deeply brilliant Adult Swim series Primal. So when we connected with Tartakovsky for an episode of Collider Connected, we had a lot to discuss.
Among the topics covered in the video above – how his animated Clone Wars series was wiped from the official Lucasfilm lexicon; the real story behind the R-rated episode of Dexter’s Laboratory, whether or not he’d return to the MCU (Tartakovsky’s animated work served as inspiration for Iron Man and Tartakovsky directed and choreographed the final fight for Iron Man 2, before tentatively being asked to direct Thor); what happened with Sym-Bionic Titan, a short-lived animated series he developed with Paul Rudish (who went on to do the new Mickey Mouse shorts); what’s up with his Popeye movie; and whether or not we’ll get more Primal after the next five episodes (scheduled to air this fall). Also, find out if he’s coming back to direct Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 4.
It’s an enjoyable and enlightening conversation with a master storyteller, whose openness and honesty when it comes to his work is deeply refreshing and appreciated. And if you haven’t watched Primal yet, you should do so now – all five episodes are currently streaming on HBO Max.
For more of our Collider Connected interviews, click here.