Thanks to the power of scheduled posts, you may not have noticed that I was actually away this week on a much deserved break (you try wrangling these simians!). This would explain why I somehow totally missed out on the incredible news that Amazon has ordered a pilot episode for a reboot of cult-classic live-action TV series The Tick!
Created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in the late 1980’s, The Tick was an “absurdist” take on other comic book superheroes complete with square jaw and overexagerated physique. He was also insane. Seriously, he escaped from a mental institution but has no memory of his life before donning his blue suit and becoming a superhero. The comic book would get an absolutely brilliant and utterly hilarious animated series adaptation in 1994 (which is where I first met and fell in love with these wacky characters), before Edlund also adapted his creation into a short-lived live-action series in 2001 starring Patrick Warburton in the titular (or should that be tickular?) role, with David Burke playing his mothy sidekick Arthur. The live-action show would only run for 9 episodes, but was much beloved by all who saw it, and garnered a huge cult following in later years.
Deadline reports that Amazon has brought Edlund back as writer and exec producer for this new incarnation of the superhero comedy series, while Transcendence helmer and Christopher Nolan’s regular cinematographer Wally Pfister has been tapped to direct the pilot episode. The bad news though is that despite earlier reports saying that he would be back, Warburton won’t be returning to the lead role.
In fact it looks like this will be an all-new cast as Griffin Newman (Vinyl) is set to play Arthur this time around, while Valorie Curry (House of Lies, The Following) has been cast as his sister Dot in the pilot. There’s no word yet on the casting of other popular characters like Batmanuel (played by Nestor Carbonell in the original) and Captain Liberty (originally played by Liz Vassey). Casting is currently underway though for a new Tick, which in this latest incarnation will once again be suffering from memory loss. He runs into Newman’s Arthur, who has been labelled a schizophrenic thanks to his constant claim that evil is taking over the city, and the pair team up to do something about it. Curry’s Dot loves her brother to bits, but is worried that his exploits will get him hurt.
There’s no mention yet of a timetable for this new pilot, but it can’t get here quick enough for my tastes.
Last Updated: March 16, 2016
James Francis
March 17, 2016 at 17:31
Much as I have a soft spot for the live action series, I’d have preferred the animated one instead…
Kervyn Cloete
March 18, 2016 at 10:00
Yeah, I actually prefer the animated one as well. Bringing that back would have been incredible.