Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick may not have landed the Deadpool 3 writing gig. However, their next project should be just as familiar to anyone who grew up playing video games in the ‘90s. According to Variety, Reese and Wernick are developing a new TV show based on the Twisted Metal franchise.
The original Twisted Metal came out on PlayStation in 1995, and set a bold new standard for vehicular combat games. Set in a futuristic Los Angeles, the game invited players to take part in a demolition derby where its drivers fight to the death using an endless supply of weapons. The series’ first installment also introduced a wide assortment of colorful characters, including Sweet Tooth, known for his flaming clown mask and his vehicle of choice: a tricked-out ice cream truck. The game’s success inspired a handful of sequels over the next several years. And in 2012, a reboot came out for the PlayStation 3.
Reese and Wernick are executive producing the new series, which (like most of their work) will be an action comedy. According to the logline, their pitch for the show centers on “a motor-mouthed outsider who is offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a trigger-happy car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown named who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.”
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Additionally, Reese and Wernick have enlisted Cobra Kai veteran Michael Jonathan Smith to write the story. Will Arnett will also executive produce the series through his Electric Avenue banner alongside Artists First’s Marc Forman and Peter Principato. Rumor has it that Arnett might also have a role on Twisted Metal as the voice of Sweet Tooth. Regardless, this remains unconfirmed for now.
PlayStation Productions head Asad Qizilbash is also working on Twisted Metal as an executive producer. He also issued his own statement about what to expect from the series:
“Twisted Metal is one of the most beloved franchises from PlayStation,” said Qizilbash. “We are thrilled to have such a great team working on bringing this iconic game to life for the fans.”
“We love Twisted Metal in all its twisted insanity,” added Adilman, Sony Pictures Television’s executive vice president of comedy development. “Michael Jonathan Smith hit it out of the park with an action-packed, brilliantly funny adaptation. And we are grateful for the support of Rhett, Paul, Will and our friends at PlayStation.”
Are you excited to see what Reese and Wernick’s team has planned for Twisted Metal? Let us know in the comments below!
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