There’s yet another video-game-to-film adaptation on the way, and this time it’s the funky spacefaring duo ToeJam & Earl getting the star treatment.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, ’90s retro action series ToeJam & Earl will make its film debut in a project from Amazon Studios, Story Kitchen, and NBA star Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media. As for its script, Hotel Transylvania 4 writers Amos Vernon and Nunzio are on board for the screenplay.
Unanimous Media’s Curry and Erick Peyton will produce the ToeJam & Earl film alongside Sonic the Hedgehog’s Dan Jevons and Dmitri M. Johnson. In addition to the movie’s early talent, The Hollywood Reporter also shared ToeJam & Earl’s film synopsis:
“Earth, their legends tell them, is the Paradise where the music that created their culture originated. Unfortunately for our heroes, not only do they wreck their ship, but they find that Earth is . . . well, not the haven they expected. But the music – that part was true. So begins their quest to find as much of that music as they can in the hope of saving their planet, and maybe ours as well.”
At least from a brief overview, it sounds like the pieces of what fans may remember from the rogue-like are there — but we’ll have to wait and see if the alien pair from creator Greg Johnson share the series’ hyper-stylized art and funky beats in the film.
For now, those specifics on how Amazon and its partners will bring ToeJam and Earl to life are thin. However, on Twitter, writer Will Landman (American Gods, Pandora) commented on a different ToeJam & Earl animated show that “didn’t go anywhere” from years ago.
Wild this is finally happening. Years ago now I was developing ToeJam & Earl as an animated show with Greg Johnson and while it didn’t go anywhere I told him then, probably 9 months out from Sonic releasing that once Sonic was a big hit…TJ&E would finally get their adaptation! https://t.co/dZeV4vzG2i
— Will Landman (@WillTheLandMan) December 5, 2022
While Landman’s animated series with the ToeJam & Earl creators may not have scored that “sweet streaming monies,” they sound a bit hopeful about the future. In a follow-up tweet, Landman added, “Maybe if the movie is successful they’ll let @ToejamGreg and I make the animated show we were kicking around a few years ago.”
Hollywood can’t seem to stop queuing up video game adaptations lately. On the film side, the alien heroes popularized by their Sega era join the publisher’s other franchises like Sonic, Space Channel 5, and Streets of Rage. Television is also in on the wave, with series like The Last of Us debuting soon and a possible Mass Effect show on the way.
Andrea Shearon is a freelance contributor for IGN covering games and entertainment. She’s worn several hats over her seven-year career in the games industry, with bylines over at Fanbyte, USA Today’s FTW, TheGamer, VG247, and RPG Site. Find her on Twitter (@Maajora) or the Materia Possessions podcast chatting about FFXIV, RPGs, and any series involving giant robots.