Earthworm Jim is a run and gun platform game that was first released back in 1994 and became a cult classic, noted for its surreal humor and edgy art style. It centered around the character of Jim, an earthworm who battles the forces of evil while adorned in a futuristic robotic suit. Well, Jim is back, this time in the form of a new animated TV series, the development of which has just been announced.
Earthworm Jim was originally released for Sega Genesis and SNES before it was ported to a number of other video game consoles. Three sequels followed fairly promptly, then Gameloft developed and released a remake of the classic for mobile and Nintendo DSi, later also ported to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. But then in February 2018, the contract between Gameloft and Interplay ended, and all ports were removed. The series was dormant for a while before a new game titled Earthworm Jim 4 was announced in 2019.
Variety is now reporting that Interplay Entertainment Corp., which owns the rights to the Earthworm Jim games, is partnering with APA to bring the project to the small screen. The series would apparently follow the adventures of Jim as he traverses the galaxy fighting evil and also introduces new characters, all in the form of anthropomorphic animals. A first-look trailer features the character of Jim in a series of takes as if he is being interviewed for the show, with all the swagger of a movie star. He even refuses to comment on the sandworms of Arrakis in a humorous nod to Dune.
Following the recent trend of video game to TV adaptations like Hunt: Showdown, Interplay is currently looking to develop new media projects for its newly formed TV and film studio division, with Michael K. Parandi leading these efforts. He said of the original Earthworm Jim game and the character of Jim himself that, "there's so much potential in this story universe [...] His struggle to find meaning is surreal and comical, but it's also relatable," going on to say, "The fans have matured and deserve a current take as we bring in new audiences."
There is already excitement surrounding the adaptation, but the pressure is on. When the trailer for Earthworm Jim 4 was released, many fans were not happy. The video had a muted response and an embarrassingly large amount of "dislikes" on Youtube, while many people took to Twitter to voice just how unimpressed they were. It is hoped the new creative team will inject some much-needed life into a series that was both critically admired and beloved by fans during its video game peak.
A previous cartoon series based on the games ran for two seasons in the mid-90s, in which the titular character was voiced by The Simpsons star Dan Castellaneta. So far, there have been no big announcements regarding casting for this new series. Fans can keep an eye out for more adaptations by Interplay as they work on expanding in this area. It could be a very exciting road ahead for video game classics and their adaptations.
The Earthworm Jim series is currently in development.
Source: Variety