Based on the popular dinosaur survival adventure video game ‘ARK: Survival Evolved,’ show features an all-star cast including Gerard Butler, Russell Crowe, Michelle Yeoh, and Vin Diesel as executive producer and the voice of the hero, Santiago; watch the trailer.
Studio Wildcard has teamed up with director Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox) as executive producer and co-showrunner on an original animated television series based on the popular video game ARK: Survival Evolved. Created and executive produced by the game’s creators Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, ARK: The Animated Series is composed of 14 30-minute episodes and has two seasons in production, with a scheduled 2022 launch.
“With ARK, we’ve always looked for new ways to tell the story,” commented Rapczak. “The animated series brings together some of the most talented directors, actors, and animators out there to finally depict on-screen this franchise’s epic narrative.”
The new animated series chronicles the story of a mysterious primeval land populated by dinosaurs and other extinct creatures, where people from throughout human history have been resurrected. When 21st century Australian paleontologist Helena Walker awakes on the ARK after tragedy, she must learn to survive and find new allies, or die again at the hands of ruthless warlords -- all while trying to uncover the true nature of their strange new world.
Marguerite Bennett and Kendall Deacon Davis serve as lead writers. The show boasts an all-star voice cast including Gerard Butler (300); Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians); Devery Jacobs (American Gods); Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time); Deborah Mailman (Total Control); Zahn McClarnon (Doctor Sleep); Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange); Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy); Ragga Ragnars (Vikings); David Tennant (Good Omens); Karl Urban (The Boys); Jeffrey Wright (Westworld); and Russell Crowe (Gladiator).
Vin Diesel has also signed onto the project, joining the company as president of creative convergence; he will act as executive producer of both ARK II and ARK: The Animated Series. He will also lend his voice talents as Santiago, a fully rendered hero protagonist, who will cross over from the newly announced video game sequel to the animated television series.
“Being able to mix together fantastic characters from throughout human history is one of the unique joys of telling stories within the ARK universe,” shared Stieglitz. “But more than that, this series is a deeply personal narrative about love and grief, and the ways in which those two most-powerful emotions manifest in different people. Plus, of course, taming and riding dinosaurs!”
In June 2015, ARK: Survival Evolved launched onto Steam’s early access program, amassing more than 35 million players worldwide across all gaming platforms, spurning spin-off games and gathering a huge fan following. A sequel ARK II is being developed for next-gen platforms; it will debut alongside the animated television series in 2022.
Animation for the series is by studio Lex + Otis with music composed by Gareth Coker (Ori and the Will of the Wisps). ARK: The Animated Series is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Source: Studio Wildcard
