In the 1990s, videogame characters were big business thanks to the launch of consoles such as the PlayStation that took games to a whole new level from the likes of the Sega Mega Drive and Super NES, and among the many colorful characters to come from the era one that still stands tall isEarthworm Jim. Jim was, as described, an earthworm but he had the added bonus of wearing a robotic spacesuit that allowed him to battle the forces of evil, and not it looks like he is coming to the small screen in a brand new TV series from Interplay Entertainment.
Variety reported that the series is currently in development and will see Jim battling his way across the galaxy, fighting evil feline overlords, discovering planets containing a host of bizarre anthropomorphic animals, and ultimately attempting to find his way to the mythical planet he calls home: Earth. Like thevideo games, we can probably expect some off-the-wall humor and crazy characters for Jim to encounter on his journey through the stars. Despite only being announced, fans can already get a taste of what to expect in the below teaser.
Michel K. Parandi will be leading the team tasked with bringing Jim to the small screen, along with producer Aaron Billet and Passion Pictures. “I remember lovingEarthworm Jimas a kid,” Parandi says. “And there’s so much potential in this story universe: a galaxy full of animals battling for power. Jim is an earthworm in a universe where Earth is nothing more than a myth. His struggle to find meaning is surreal and comical, but it’s also relatable.”
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to create a show for an iconic character that we grew up both playing onGenesis, and watching on TV,” Billet added. “The fans have matured and deserve a current take as we bring in new audiences.”
As noted by Billet, this is not the first timeEarthworm Jimhas had his own series. With the games doing big business on the Sega Genesis, Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo among others, it was only a matter of time before Jim joined the big guns likeSonic the HedgehogandSuper Mario Bros. in getting his own TV series, and theanimated cartooncame to life in 1995. Running for two seasons, the show featured the same kind of oddball gags that made the games such a hit and Jim himself was voiced by none other than Homer Simpson actor Dan Castellaneta. As well as the series, Jim also appeared in his own Marvel Comics series, as a series of actions figures and made appearances in other video games.
For anyone who grew up playing the video games or watching the series, the return of Jim is just another nostalgic blast from the past that will no doubt tag onto the huge boom inreturning properties from the 80s and 90sthat has been doing big business recently on both the big and small screen. This news comes fromVariety.
