Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and put on your best driving tunes. Peacock has released the first teaser trailer forTwisted Metalwhich hasAnthony Mackielocking, loading, and revving up for some vehicular carnage. The new video game adaptation features theCaptain America: New World Orderstar as John Doe, a motor-mouthed outsider destined for a better life, assuming he can survive the treacherous journey across a wasteland filled with savage marauders in death machines and deliver a mysterious package for a shadowy benefactor. In addition to offering a first look atRhett ReeseandPaul Wernick’s take on the iconic PlayStation franchise, the teaser also reveals that Season 1 hits the road on July 27.
The new footage opens with a closeup of Mackie’s gloved hands as he turns the key, signaling the start of this twisted game. Before he can start his drive, however, he needs to have everything in order. He loads up a shotgun for when he needs to blow away any rival drivers who get too close and quickly flips through a CD case to find his “Road Mix” because you can’t go for a ride without good tunes. Once the disc loads, and he turns up the volume,Len’s “Steal My Sunshine” kicks in and Mackie takes a second to rock out before putting the pedal to the metal. The final shots see himtearing down the roadwith the guns mounted to his car blazing before an overhead shot gives a full view of the destruction across the land.Twisted Metalgames were never afraid to get a little wacky and the image of death and destruction set to such an upbeat tune sets the tone the action-comedy is going for.
It’s not all fun and games, however, as a separate scene slowly closes in on Sweet Tooth, the demented ice cream truck and nickname of the terrifying clown with a mane of fire Needles Kane. The tone shifts to horror as it pans around to the back of the truck, revealing a wall of bloody knives and Needles himself who looks as creepy as ever. Sweet Tooth is a particularly haunting threat in the series,embodied by two-time All Elite Wrestling TNT ChampionJoe Seanoa, better known asSamoa Joe. Thevoice of the character, however, comes fromBojack HorsemanstarWill Arnettwho’ll help capture the character’s more comedic, emotional side. He gives a twisted laugh in the teaser before locking viewers out of the truck at least until the series premieres.
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Twisted Metalis just the latest in an ever-growing line of video game adaptations which PlayStation is becoming a major part of. The recent CinemaCon sawGran Turismoshow out with driving simulatorsahead of the release of the film starringArchie MadekweandDavid Harbour. Future adaptations are also promising for Sony’s video game company as one of their flagship series,God of War, isalso coming to the small screenthrough Prime Video.
Who Else Is Joining the Carnage inTwisted Metal?
For this adaptation, Mackie, Arnett, and Seanoa are just one part of the fun cast.Stephanie Beatrizwillstar directly opposite Mackieas the original character Quiet, a badass axe-wielding car thief who’ll form an unlikely and antagonistic connection with John Doe. The rest of the cast featuresThomas Hayden Church,Neve Campbell,Richard Cabral,Mike Mitchell,Tahj Vaughans, andLou Beatty Jr.
AlthoughDeadpool’s Reese and Wernick came up with the concept ofTwistedMetal,Michael Jonathan Smithwrote the series and serves as showrunnerwhileKitao Sakuraidirects. In a note released with the trailer, Smith explained his deep connection with the PlayStation games, specificallyTwisted Metal Blackon the PS2. He also wanted to set the scene for the series, explaining how his inspiration fed into the show and how he aimed for it to be just as much a showcase of these bizarre and fun characters as it is about the demolition derby. “This is a bonkers show about insiders and outsiders, and how our own special apocalypse has divided and isolated us more than ever,” he added. “But there’s hope. You can find your people and your community. You may just have to get past a terrifying clown driving a well-armed ice cream truck to find them.”
All ten episodes ofTwisted Metalpremiere exclusively on Peacock on July 27. Check out the teaser trailer below:
