You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. In the 13 years since the Universal Pictures movie was released in 2010, the romantic action comedy film has become a cult classic with such a passionate fanbase it’s almost hard to believe it ever flopped at the box office.
Famed for its stylistic visual effects that follow in the footsteps of the graphic novel upon which it was based — written by Bryan Lee O’Malley — Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a slacker musician who is forced to battle the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in order to win her hand.
Despite its infamously lukewarm financial reception (it grossed only $49.3 million against its $85 million budget), the movie won over both fans and critics and was even shortlisted for the Best Visual Effects category at the 2010 Academy Awards. Now, it’s returning to do it all over again in the form of an anime series on Netflix, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Here’s what you need to know about the ambitious new project.
Which cast members and characters are returning for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off?
Fans of the original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World should probably sit down for this, because not only will Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead return as Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers, but the entire cast will also reprise their respective roles as well. Yes, the entire cast, including Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, and all the rest. Think of it as one big family reunion.
In the announcement video shared by Netflix, the studio confirmed the full lineup of returning characters and their respective cast members. It reads as follows:
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin), Lucas Lee (Chris Evans), Stacey Pilgrim (Anna Kendrick), Envy Adams (Brie Larson), Kim Pine (Alison Pill), Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh), Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman), Young Neil (Johnny Simmons), Stephen Still (Mark Webber), Roxie (Mae Whitman) and Knives Chau (Ellen Wong).
The cast isn’t the only original group returning for the anime series
In addition to the mind-boggling return of every previous cast member from the 2010 movie, director Edgar Wright will also return for the anime series, although this time he will serve as one of the executive producers.
In a statement on his Twitter account, Wright promised the anime series will “expand the universe.”
“One of the proudest and most enjoyable achievements of my career was assembling and working with the dynamite cast of Scott Pilgrim. Since the film’s release in 2010 we’ve done Q&A’s, remembrances and charity read-throughs, but there was never the occasion to reunite the whole gang on an actual project until now. Original creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, along with writer BenDavid Grabinski, have conjured up an anime series of Scott Pilgrim that doesn’t just expand the universe, but also…well, just watch it. I’m more than happy to announce that I have helped coax the entire original cast back to voice their characters on this epic new adventure. You are in for a treat.”
Perhaps the biggest news aside from the return of the full cast is the news that Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, the author and artist of the graphic novels, will serve as one of the series’ executive producers, writers, and showrunners. Meaning, fans are almost guaranteed a faithful adaptation from not just the 2010 film, but the original source material.
“We’re getting the band back together!” said O’Malley and Grabinski in a joint statement on March 30, according to Deadline. “A stellar cast, perfectly assembled by Edgar Wright. And, with Science SARU leading the phenomenal animation, we couldn’t ask for a better team for this adventure. We can’t wait for fans and newcomers alike to see what we and our partners at Science SARU have been cooking up. It’s going to be a wild ride.”
What is the release date for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off?
The initial announcement video for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off didn’t specify a release date (or a title), only stating that it was “coming soon.” However, in the official teaser trailer, Netflix announced that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off will premiere on November 17.
The series will include eight episodes, each detailing Scott Pilgrim’s quest to battle Ramona’s evil exes and win her hand. The trailer retains the essence of the comics quite remarkably, with several sequences passing for panels ripped straight from the graphic novels and pasted onto the screen.
The original movie may have performed poorly at the box office, but something tells us the years of amassing a cult following will do wonders for this next iteration of the graphic novel. Netflix may have its next big hit on its hands.