Everything We Know About The Golden Axe TV Show
37 years after the first game's release, the eternal struggle against Death Adder is taking over the small screen.
One might be forgiven for thinking that Hollywood studios are only interested in somewhat recent properties in the current video game adaptation trend. The Last of Us, the upcoming God of War series, and 2028’s Elden Ring adaptation by Alex Garland- each of these is based on games only 13 years old at the latest, and the wide majority of all video game movies or TV shows are adapting source material originating in or after the early 2000s (an era defined by the medium’s growing capacity for complex storytelling).
But as the more recognizable, more recent works have been quickly snatched up for development, studios are reaching back further for material that’s maybe not as popular now as it was 30 or 40 years ago – The Super Mario Bros. Movie proved just how lucrative classic video game properties could be, and just last month it was announced that Atari was partnering with Universal Pictures to bring 10 games from the 70s and 80s to life.
Now another gaming relic is being dusted off and restored to relevance with an adaptation, 37 years after its first installment was released, and this new version is clearly going to be a bit of a departure from the original.
Is There A Trailer For Golden Axe?
On April 17, 2024, it was announced by Deadline that an animated TV series based on the Golden Axe hack-and-slash video game series was in development at Comedy Central, and two years later, we now finally have an official trailer now that the project has been moved over to Paramount+. Produced by CBS Studios in partnership with Sony Pictures Television and animated by Titmouse Inc., the show was co-created by Mike McMahan (showrunner of Star Trek: Lower Decks) and Joe Chandler (a longtime writer for American Dad).
What Is The Plot Of Golden Axe?
Along with the first trailer for the series, an official synopsis for the show was also revealed:
“In an homage to SEGA’s iconic 1989 video game, Golden Axe follows legendary warriors Ax Battler, Tyris Flare and Gilius Thunderhead as they reunite to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder, who just won’t seem to stay dead. Their quest is complicated by Hampton Squib, an inexperienced and wildly underprepared adventurer whose dream of heroism far exceeds his abilities. Forced to work together despite their flaws, they must find a way to stop Death Adder once and for all.”
Golden Axe’s central trio of a warrior priestess, a barbarian, and a dwarf makes it feel a little like a humorous Dungeons and Dragons homebrew.
The synopsis is a pretty accurate reflection of the admittedly simple storytelling of the Golden Axe series. The imposing medieval dictator known as Death Adder is the primary recurring antagonist throughout most of the games, and while each sequel has introduced new playable characters to the franchise, the original game featured only the same three warriors accompanied by the show’s original creation, Hampton.
While it doesn’t look like the animated show will be changing all that much lore-wise about the Golden Axe universe, it is definitely a radical tonal departure from the source material. The original games are certainly not grimdark fantasy, but they take themselves fairly seriously as examples of the sword-and-sorcery genre – the show, in comparison, looks like it’ll be an irreverent, self-aware adult comedy (with plenty of bloody hacking and slashing), and knowing McMahan’s history as a writer for Rick and Morty as well as the show’s original home, it’s a safe assumption that the show will also be pretty mature as well.
However, Star Trek: Lower Decks was praised as a smart and surprisingly earnest love letter to that franchise, and with the amount of meta in-jokes hidden in the trailer, it looks like Golden Axe might be getting the same treatment.
It certainly looks like the show will live up to the brutal promise of the original game’s genre.
Who Is In The Cast Of Golden Axe?
For a show that has flown inconspicuously under the radar since it was first announced, Golden Axe has a surprisingly attention-worthy voice cast. It is confirmed to star:
- Matthew Rhys as Gilius Thunderhead
- Lisa Gilroy as Tyris Flare
- Liam McIntyre as Ax Battler
- Danny Pudi as Hampton Squib
- Carl Tart as Chronos ‘Evil’ Lait
What Is The Release Date For Golden Axe?
Golden Axe will release all ten episodes on the same day, September 16, the same binge-strategy the platform used on its previous animated game adaptation of Among Us. That show was also tongue-in-cheek with a shocking amount of blood and guts, but that’s also that game’s entire brand – the show’s approach is a pretty different one in comparison to the mood of the original games. However, with the sheer abundance of self-serious high fantasy content in film and television, a cheeky yet loving approach might be exactly what Golden Axe needs to stand out when it arrives on streaming next month.
