It’s not hyperbolic to say that Pendleton Ward changed the face of animation with Adventure Time. The nine-season series not only became a cultural phenomenon but it introduced a surreal kindness to kids’ animation, alongside a spate of new creators like Bee and PuppyCat creator Natasha Allegri and Steven Universe mastermind Rebecca Sugar. Ward’s new series—alongside comedian Duncan Trussell—looks like it will continue the surreal stylings of Adventure Time though the first full trailer hints at a far more mature and existential look at “life, death and everything in between.”
As the trailer showcases, the animated series looks like another layered, complex, and mind bending offering from Ward, all things that made Adventure Time stand out in a landscape of kids cartoons made to sell toys. Ironically Adventure Time ended up selling a lot of toys but we’re guessing that The Midnight Gospel which, features some very mature visuals, will likely not follow in that particular part of Adventure Times’ legacy. This is the first full trailer, so we get a little more of a vibe for what the show will be like and what it will center on, a so-called “space caster” called Clancy who uses his incredibly yonic and high-tech simulator to visit other universes in order to ask questions about life, death, existence, and everything else.
Netflix
We’re extremely excited to get to see Ward go full weird as Adventure Time was often best at its most experimental and strange. Though the characters were at the heart of what made the show great there were unbelievably impressive and strange episodes like “Sad Face” a Sawdust and Tinsel inspired tale about Jake the Dog’s tail joining the circus. It’ll be exciting to see Ward have free creative reign to explore that weirdness in which he really excels. And from this first trailer it looks like Ward and Trussell are taking advantage of that creative freedom to the fullest.
The Midnight Gospel debuts on Netflix on April 20th.
Header Image: Netflix