The Netflix animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off drops its first full trailer, welcoming back the cast and rocking to the Mortal Kombat theme. (Images: Netflix)
- Netflix released the first full trailer of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, the upcoming anime series based on the comic books, movie, and the arcade game.
- The trailer has full of callbacks to the events of the film, as well as the action-packed battles with the Evil Exes.
- A remix of the Mortal Kombat theme (aka Techno Syndrome) adds to the nostalgia factor and energy to the action scenes.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, the Netflix animated series based on the graphic novels by Canadian comic book writer and artist Bryan Lee O’Malley, dropped the first full trailer. And it’s chockfull of anime tropes, teenage superhero antics, and even a version of the famous Mortal Kombat theme.
Although a teaser was released earlier this year, the new trailer for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off reveals more of what is adapted from both the comic and the 2010 film. As previously reported, virtually the entire cast from the Edgar Wright-directed live action Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie came back to reprise their roles.
But the new Netflix anime is going to have expanded backstories of the characters, something the film was only able to touch on. Shared through social media such as X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off hits the ground running introducing us to the titular character and the “girl of his dreams”, Ramona Flowers.
BEHOLD THE TRAILER FOR SCOTT PILGRIM TAKES OFF! 🕹️ 💫 NOVEMBER 17 🤘…I’ll leave you alone forever now 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/eJPa1F8q4x
— Netflix (@netflix) October 14, 2023
What follows is a non-stop sequence, reintroducing the characters from the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World comics and film. Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead return to their roles as Scott and Ramona. There are a few scenes that echo the first film, such as Scott waking up in a panic and their first actual meeting with Scott awkwardly asking Ramona for a date.
Also returning to voice the Evil Exes and the rest of the Sex Bob-omb band members are Satya Bhabha, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Mae Whitman, and Ellen Wong. Interestingly, Edgar Wright maintained an email group, keeping in contact with the cast for over a decade. And when asked, everyone was happy to return to voice their characters for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.
The snippets of the scenes shown in the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off trailer mirror the character interactions in the cult classic film. Notably, the boss battle-esque fights with the Seven Evil Exes have the same psychedelic action but in cartoon form. And the remixed version of the Mortal Kombat theme (aka Techno Syndrome) by The Immortals, just adds to the nostalgic effect.
The artstyle of the anime series is consistent with the graphic novels and the arcade game released by Ubisoft Scott vs. The World: the Game which was also released in 2010. But there is a distinctive flair added to it by the studio handling the animation chores, Science SARU. Anime fans will likely have seen their work on 2018’s Devilman Crybaby (based on the manga by Go Nagai) and Star Wars Visions for Lucasfilm (specifically, the episodes T0-B1 and Akakiri).
But is this a reboot of the continuity of the 2010 movie? According to Edgar Wright (who is serving as Executive Producer for the Netflix anime), Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is expanding the universe and more. Wright adds for fans to “just watch it”, avoiding to spoil too much about the plot elements. Still, one can assume it will be a soft reboot, taking elements from the comic book, film, and the video game.
Original creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, (@bryanleeomalley) along with writer BenDavid Grabinski (@bdgrabinski) have conjured up an anime series of Scott Pilgrim with the geniuses at @sciencesaru that doesn’t just expand the universe, but also…well, just watch it.
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) March 30, 2023
Are you a fan of the Scott Pilgrim comic books, the 2010 movie, or the video game? What do you think about what has been revealed so far about the Netflix animated series?
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off begins streaming on Netflix on November 17, 2023.