Invader Zim Creator Jhonen Vasquez Explains Why Enter the Florpus Released on Netflix

Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus, the movie special that picks up after the events of the television series, is a bit of a odd thing. Not because of its humor or tone, which is unusual in the way that all of the Invader Zim franchise is unusual, but because of the fact that it’s a movie based on a Nickelodeon show that ended up on Netflix, along with Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling. But the reason Enter the Florpus ended up on Netflix rather than at the television network is apparently simple: bureaucracy.

At least, according to Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquez. ComicBook.com had a chance to speak with Vasquez ahead of the special’s release on Netflix, and while his answer to why the Enter the Florpus ended up on Netflix came across as almost half joking, there was an undercurrent of seriousness.

“We had already finished production,” Vasquez revealed when asked about the move to Netflix. “Netflix really had no hand in the creation of the thing. Nickelodeon was the intended destination for it, but then there was a lot of changeover that happened in the last couple of months of production at Nickelodeon, just suddenly everyone that was supportive was no longer present. And I think we just rolled to the finish line in this junky machine that I think really only crossed the finish line out of sheer neglect by the end of it.”

What do you think of Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus? Have you watched the Netflix special already, or are you saving it for a special occasion? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things animation!

Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus is now available to stream on Netflix. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the title right here. If you’re still on the fence, here is a brief excerpt of our official review:

“Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus should really set the parameters for all returning Nickelodeon shows going forward. It’s almost entirely self-contained, with little to no prior knowledge required, and manages to invoke what was amazing about the original show without kneeling at the altar of nostalgia. It’s just a new, good Zim story that happened to release on Netflix rather than Nickelodeon itself.”