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It's abundantly clear that video game movies and shows have finally found the power-up they've been looking for after so many years. Gone are the days of bizarre and unfaithful adaptations like the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film and the ill-conceived Halo series. Now gamers (and studio executives) have plenty of reason to celebrate, with The Super Mario Bros. Movie making over a billion dollars at the box office and HBO's The Last of Us being a smash hit critical darling. It's more than likely that recent success in the genre has led to projects that were once in development hell getting a miraculous revival, such as the case with the upcoming Gears of War film finally gaining momentum. Video game adaptations for film and television are pretty hot right now. Still, things are about to get set ablaze with the release of the long-awaited chaotic video game adaptation, Twisted Metal.
Whispers of a live-action adaptation of Sony and PlayStation's cult-classic video game series Twisted Metal have been circulating for years. Admittedly, out of all the franchises to pick for a movie/show, Twisted Metal is one of the more unusual cases, given that the games aren't exactly known for their gripping storylines. The games keep things simple and to the point, allowing players to blow up everything in their path using vehicles straight out of a Mad Max film. That's essentially the gist of what the games entail, and frankly, fans of the games wouldn't have it any other way. That being said, with the show already boasting an impressive cast and crew, the Twisted Metal series is already looking like a wild ride. To learn more about the high-octane action show's cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about Twisted Metal.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on July10.
When is Twisted Metal Coming Out?
You'll want to get your car outfitted for the apocalypse by this Summer because Twisted Metal will be crashing onto screens starting Thursday, July 27, 2023. The full release schedule for the half-hour series has not yet been announced, but the show will likely follow the rest of the Peacock's past release plans and have one of the ten total episodes debuting every Thursday after July 27.
Where Can You Watch Twisted Metal?
Those who wish to see Anthony Mackie get into a deadly drag race with a killer clown will need a subscription to Peacock, as that will be the exclusive streaming home of Twisted Metal. Sony and PlayStation's lack of an alliance with a single streaming platform have served the companies well, as they've been able to diversify where they release adaptations of their work to great success. HBO proved to be the perfect place to bring The Last of Us to life, and Sony and Playstation are also collaborating with Amazon for a God of War series. With Twisted Metal coming to Peacock, this marks the third streaming platform to open its doors to a PlayStation adaptation looking for a home.
Is There A Trailer for Twisted Metal?
Sony Pictures Television released the debut teaser for Twisted Metal on April 28th, 2023, and quickly introduced Anthony Mackie's mysterious protagonist. Mackie is credited as playing John Doe, who sounds like a made-up person but is actually a character from the games. We then see this John Doe prepping for a deadly road trip by loading up a double-barrelled shotgun and putting on his "Road Mix". After putting on some tunes, John Doe drives in his car equipped with two machine guns on the front. Thus, he travels off into a post-apocalyptic wasteland that is packed to the brim with those who would wish the hero harm. After the show's title card appears, we get one more sequence that is bound to make dedicated fans of the series very happy by introducing the most popular character from the games. Set in Los Vegas, or at least whats left of it, we see a distinctive ice cream truck with a big scary clown head bobbing on the top of it. Of course, this is the van owned by Sweet Tooth (played by Samoa Joe and voiced by Will Arnett) - the killer clown mascot of the Twisted Metal series who is bound to cause all sorts of chaotic trouble for John Doe.
On June 8, 2023, Peacock released a new first-look clip from Twisted Metal, showcasing roughly two and a half minutes of footage from the series. The clip shows Sweet Tooth tossing Doe around like a ragdoll, all set to kill him. But some quick thinking gives Doe a bizarre and hilarious way out.
July 10 saw the reveal of the red-band trailer for Twisted Metal. Also highlighting nearly three minutes of footage, this trailer focuses a bit more on story than action. We see more of the supporting characters and their roles in John's life.
Who Stars in Twisted Metal?
Before he almost assuredly returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Sam Wilson in Captain America: New World Order, Anthony Mackie will be traversing Twisted Metal's deadly environment as protagonist John Doe. John Doe, of course, isn't his real name, but in the games, John Doe is an amnesiac who has no idea who he is or what he used to do. Doe's inclusion is exciting, but no Twisted Metal story would be complete without Marcus "Needles" Kane, also known as Sweet Tooth. The series' mascot will be voiced by Arrested Development star Will Arnett, but will be physically portrayed by WWE wrestler Samoa Joe. Also attached to the cast are Encanto star Stephanie Beatriz as an original character named Quiet, and Sideways co-lead Thomas Haden Church as government operative Agent Stone.
The series also has several guest stars lined up to appear, including Neve Campbell (Scream), Richard Cabral (End of Watch), Mike Mitchell (The Tomorrow War), Tahj Vaughns (P-Valley), and Lou Beatty Jr. (Finding Normal).
What is Twisted Metal About?
The official plot synopsis for Twisted Metal reads as follows:
TWISTED METAL, a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, is a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and written by Michael Jonathan Smith, about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.
Who is Making Twisted Metal?
The showrunners for Twisted Metal is Cobra Kai scribe Michael Jonathan Smith, with additional screenwriting coming from Deadpool co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Reese and Wernick will also be producing the series along with stars Anthony Mackie and Will Arnett. Three directors have been confirmed to helm the series so far including Kitao Sakurai (Bad Trip), Bill Benz (Portlandia), and Jude Weng (Finding 'Ohana).
Also attached to the film's crew are composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson (Cobra Kai), cinematographer James McMillan (Are You Afraid of the Dark?), and production designer Victoria Paul (A League of Their Own).
Will Twisted Metal Get a Season 2?
That entirely depends on how well Twisted Metal does regarding viewership and critical reception. If the show is a certified hit, you can bet your bottom dollar we'll see this post-apocalyptic wasteland again.