Paramount+ released today the trailer for Big Nate, an upcoming animated series inspired by the child book franchise of the same name by acclaimed author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce. Besides unveiling the trailer, Paramount+ confirmed an exceptional guest star for the series premiere as Jack Black gets ready to rock Nate’s school.
The trailer introduces us to Nate (voiced by Ben Giroux), an eleven-year-old boy who uses his creative mind to deal with his own insecurities and the challenges of middle school. Nate is not alone in his adventures, though, as he’s joined by a crazy group of friends that’s constantly turning the school upside down. The trailer also teases the art style of the animated series, which mixes 3D models for the main characters and 2D effects to bring Nate’s fantasies to life.
Paramount+ also revealed new details about the series first episode, titled “The Legend of the Gunting.” In the episode, Nate tries to evade another detention while some new kid pressures him to return to his prankster habits. In the episode, Jack Black (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) guest stars as Brad Gunter, Nate’s prankster inspiration, while Daniel Jacobs (All Hail King Julien: Exiled) voices Bentley Carter, the new kid who’s eager to wreak havoc through the school by Nate’s side.
Big Nate is based on the best-selling children’s books and comic strips written and drawn by Peirce. Peirce kickstarted the Big Nate universe in 1991 as a daily comic strip. Three decades later, the universe already counts with 41 print collections and novel books, and six activity books. Together, the Big Nate books have spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, which gives us an excellent metric to measure how millions of people love Peirce’s stories.
While fans could expect different stories to be adapted to the animated series, the first season of Big Nate will actually feature a brand new story. With 26 episodes dedicated to Nate’s adventures with his friends, the series will have something new for fans of the franchise while also introducing its humorous cast of characters to newcomers.
The first eight episodes of Big Nate come exclusively to Paramount+ Thursday, February 17. Check the new trailer below.
Here’s Big Nate’s official series premiere synopsis below:
Paramount+’s Big Nate animated series will feature brand-new original storylines centered on Nate, a sixth-grade kid who has a never-ending need to prove his awesomeness to the world. Whether he’s dealing with disasters at home or detention at school, Nate Wright is no stranger to a challenge. Luckily, he’s able to express himself through the world of cartoons that he creates. Charming, mischievous and a magnet for misadventure – trouble is always fun when Nate is around.