Peacock, the streaming service of NBCUniversal, has announced that it has renewed the live-action series based on the Twisted Metal video game franchise for a second season. The series, which debuted in October 2023, stars Anthony Mackie as John Doe, a motor-mouthed mercenary who participates in a deadly vehicular combat tournament for a chance to get his wish granted by the mysterious Calypso. The series also features Michael Rooker as Sweet Tooth, the iconic clown-faced driver of an ice cream truck armed with rockets and flamethrowers.
The renewal comes after the series received positive reviews from critics and fans, who praised the show’s action, humor, and faithful adaptation of the source material. The series also earned four nominations at the Game Awards 2023, including Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Performance (Anthony Mackie), and Best Adaptation. The Game Awards 2023 will take place on December 7, 2023, and will be streamed live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Twisted Metal is one of the many video game adaptations coming to Peacock
Twisted Metal is not the only video game adaptation that Peacock has in the works. The streaming service has also announced that it will produce a series based on the popular horror game Five Nights at Freddy’s, which will be directed by Chris Columbus and star Nicolas Cage as a security guard who must survive the night at a haunted pizzeria. Peacock has also acquired the rights to the Halo TV series, which was originally developed by Showtime and will premiere in 2024. The series will follow the adventures of Master Chief, the iconic super-soldier who fights against the alien Covenant.
Peacock is not the only streaming service that is investing in video game adaptations. Netflix has also been producing several shows and movies based on popular games, such as The Witcher, Resident Evil, Castlevania, Assassin’s Creed, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Amazon Prime Video has also announced that it will adapt the sci-fi shooter The Expanse into a live-action series, which will be produced by the original game developers.
Twisted Metal is one of the longest-running and most successful video game franchises
Twisted Metal is a video game franchise that was created by David Jaffe and Scott Campbell in 1995. The franchise consists of 10 games, which have been released on various PlayStation consoles. The games are known for their chaotic and violent gameplay, which involves driving various vehicles equipped with weapons and explosives, and destroying other competitors in a post-apocalyptic setting. The games also feature a dark and twisted humor, and a diverse cast of characters, each with their own backstory and motivation.
The franchise has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, and has been praised by critics and fans for its originality, creativity, and fun factor. The franchise has also spawned several spin-offs, such as Twisted Metal: Black, Twisted Metal: Head-On, and Twisted Metal: Small Brawl. The latest game in the series, Twisted Metal (2012), was released for the PlayStation 3, and introduced a new gameplay mode called Nuke, which involved launching missiles at the enemy’s base.
The franchise has also influenced other media, such as movies, comics, and music. In 2012, Sony announced that it was developing a Twisted Metal movie, which would be directed by Brian Taylor and star Nicolas Cage as Sweet Tooth. However, the project was later cancelled due to creative differences. In 2019, DC Comics published a six-issue miniseries called Twisted Metal: Black, which was written by Jaffe and Campbell, and explored the origins of some of the characters. The franchise has also inspired several bands and artists, such as Rob Zombie, Slipknot, and Avenged Sevenfold, who have contributed songs to the games’ soundtracks.
