It seemed like the kind of thing that would never get off the ground, yet here we are. Sony is pushing into TV and movies in a big way, and one of its main charges is a Twisted Metal TV show — which is now headed to Peacock. Will Arnett and Marc Forman had secured the Twisted Metal TV show rights under their production company and will executive produce, and they got the guys behind Deadpool and Zombieland to come up with an idea for it. Cobra Kai writer Michael Jonathan Smith is on board as showrunner, and Anthony Mackie will star in it. So this is not a fly-by-night operation.
Peacock has placed a series order for Twisted Metal, meaning there’s no stopping it now. Mackie will star as John Doe, “a smart-ass milkman who talks as fast as he drives,” who must deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland in order to finally find the community and life he’s always been seeking. Why milkmen are still needed after the apocalypse is a little unclear, but the series is being described as a comedy so we probably won’t have to think too much about it. John Doe, along with a car thief sidekick, will have to battle against other vehicles and drivers, including everyone’s favorite ice cream-touting clown, as they make their way across the country.
“Twisted Metal has been a global phenomenon for more than 25 years but it was the creative vision for this live-action adaptation, led by Michael Jonathan Smith, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, that blew us away. Also, Anthony Mackie starring made it undeniable!” said Lisa Katz, president scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “This adrenalin-infused comedy series is in expert hands with our partners at Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions and Universal Television, and will be the perfect addition to Peacock as we continue to look for uniquely entertaining programs.”
The show will be a live-action, half-hour series. No episode count or release date has been set yet, and production hasn’t begun. No other cast has been announced either. There is plenty more to be discovered about the series, but most important is whether or not people even care about the Twisted Metal franchise anymore, especially for viewing on Peacock.
