Skull Island: prehistoric giants meet 90s nostalgia (Netflix series: Pilot episode in full)
SFcrowsnest readers, buckle up for a titanic adventure, as Netflix’s anime-influenced animated Skull Island TV series sets sail! The screen is the gateway, the remote your compass, and you’re heading straight for a world of colossal creatures and brave explorers. And the cherry on this monstrous sundae? 1990s nostalgia, my friends!
Brian Duffield, the swashbuckling showrunner of this series, takes us on an expedition to the MonsterVerse. What’s the MonsterVerse, you ask? Only a cinematic universe where gigantic monsters roam and Godzilla probably has a summer home. But the spotlight here is on Skull Island, and the king? The mighty Kong!
The premise throws a band of plucky explorers into the heart of the 1990s. This crew of do-gooders sets sail to rescue Annie, who’s apparently having a rather tough day at sea. But lo and behold! A storm shipwrecks them on an island that’s not listed on your average travel brochure – Skull Island. The island is home to a plethora of gigantic creatures who are more Jurassic Park than Barnyard Animals.
Nicolas Cantu voices Charlie, the whip-smart and resourceful teen; Mae Whitman is Annie, the rescuee who turns out to be more than a damsel in distress; Darren Barnet as Mike, the muscle of the group; Benjamin Bratt as Cap, a grizzled seafarer; and Betty Gilpin as Irene, whose wilderness skills make Bear Grylls look like a couch potato.
But it’s not just a survival story; it’s a symphony of thumping footsteps, earth-shattering roars, and vines that snap like whips. The mighty Kong is the star attraction, along with an assortment of creatures that defy the imagination.
Produced by Powerhouse Animation, JP and Legendary Television, “Skull Island” boasts of animation that’s so lush, you can practically feel the jungle mist on your face. And the voice acting? Critics are raving like a T-Rex at a rock concert. This isn’t just a show; it’s an experience that combines the thrill of discovery with the heart-pounding adrenaline of an adventure.
You can watch the pilot episode in fill, now, above.
