I’m not ashamed to admit it: Bryan Lee O’Malley’s collection of Scott Pilgrim graphic novels is my favorite of all time. I’ve re-read the whole series again and again over the years, thanks to everything from the whimsical art to the storyline about Scott needing to defeat his girlfriend Ramona Flowers’ 7 evil exes to the snappy banter throughout. Like in this particular exchange between Scott and the first evil ex, Matthew Patel:
Scott: We’re fighting over Ramona??
Matthew: Didn’t you get my email explaining the situation?
Scott: I skimmed it…
Matthew: You will pay for your insolence!!
And now comes the news that Netflix is about to turn the whole thing into what’s sure to be a delightful anime series — one that, as if that wasn’t enough, also reunites the cast of 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie (in which Michael Cera played the title role).
“We’re getting the band back together!” said O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, who will serve as co-showrunners, in a press statement. “Cera and Winstead, Bhabha, Culkin, Evans, Kendrick, Larson, Pill, Plaza, Routh, Schwartzman, Simmons, Webber, Whitman and Wong.
“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.”
By way of a quick refresher (or intro, for the uninitiated): In both the movie and the graphic novels, Scott is a lovelorn bass player in a band and sort of a slacker, living a mediocre existence in Toronto. He falls in love with the aforementioned Ramona Flowers, but the prerequisite for that love is besting her ex-lovers in combat.
Definitely check out the graphic novels if you haven’t yet (and, certainly, the movie, which you can watch right here on Netflix) while we wait for a release date and the arrival of this new anime series from the streaming giant. The movie’s soundtrack is top-tier, as well (“We Are Sex Bob-Omb!!! And we are here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff!!!”), all of which combine to make this the kind of project that you don’t have to be a fan of graphic novels or anime in general to appreciate.
Long story short, Scott Pilgrim is about to take on the world again, this time in an all-new format. And I need it. Right. Now.
“This is not a drill! This is happening!” Edgar Wright, who directed the 2010 movie, tweeted on Thursday. “After much musing over the years about there being potential for an anime adaptation of ‘Scott Pilgrim’, I’m thrilled to say one is IMMINENT, with the whole cast back together and… you are going to lose your minds.”
