After its theatrical run kicked off earlier this week, the stop-motion horror film Mad God is making its way to AMC Networks’ premium streaming service Shudder today, with a national rollout set to take place on June 17. As the film directed by Oscar and Emmy Award-winning stop-motion animator and special effects supervisor Phil Tippett makes its way to the streaming service, Collider is able to share an exclusive clip from the new horror masterpiece.
The 1-minute and 20-second clip shows the main character, known as The Assassin, hiding from a monstrous beast. The rubble-laden room and grotesque noises immediately tells to the viewer that this is not someplace that The Assassin should be and this is a creature that must be avoided. The creature searches through the rubble, coming across a small, worm-like creature. Taking it over to a table, the large monster begins to chop the worm with his cleaver, a distraction that The Assassin uses to get away. The clip ends as they take hold of a rope as the rubble beneath their feet gives way, leading them to fall deeper into this unsettling world.
Mad God is a labor of love from Tippett that has taken 30 years to complete. Tippett is one of the most celebrated people in the special effects field, having founded Tippett Studio, and having had a hand in creating many movies that are celebrated for their effects, such as classics like RoboCop, Starship Troopers, Jurassic Park, and both Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. His work has been praised by luminaries of the filmmaking industry including the likes of Steven Spielberg, Paul Verhoeven, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, and many more.
Mad God features the voice acting talents of Alex Cox, Niketa Roman, Satish Ratakonda, Harper Taylor, Brynn Taylor, and more. With its theatrical release, the film received high acclaim from critics, with it being praised for its bleak and foreboding atmosphere. The film has also won several awards including wins at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival for both "Most Groundbreaking Film" and "Best Animated Feature." The move to Shudder will give more people the chance to appreciate this passion project from one of the greatest figures in filmmaking.
Mad God premieres on Shudder starting today, June 16, with a national rollout beginning on June 17. You can check out the exclusive clip for the film as well as read the official description for Tippett's stop-motion horror masterpiece down below.
'Mad God' is an experimental animated film set in a world of monsters, mad scientists and war pigs. A corroded diving bell descends amidst a ruined city, settling down upon an ominous fortress guarded by zombie-like sentries. The Assassin emerges to explore a labyrinth of bizarre, desolate landscapes inhabited by freakish denizens. Through unexpected twists and turns, he experiences an evolution beyond his wildest comprehension. A labour of love that has taken 30 years to complete, 'Mad God' combines live-action and stop-motion, miniature sets and other innovative techniques to bring Tippett's wholly unique and grotesquely beautiful vision to life.