Sweet Tooth: Robert Downey Jr. Talks About Bringing DC Comics Series To Life

Though best known to….well everyone, for his time spent at the house of ideas as the Marvel superhero Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. is dabbling into the world of their distinguished competition, producing an adaptation of the DC/Vertigo comic series Sweet Tooth. Scheduled to arrive on Netflix later this summer, the series hails from Eisner Award winner Jeff Lemiere and a new behind-the-scenes video for the show has both Lemire and Downey jr. opening up about the development and production of the new show. Check it out for yourself in the player below and look for Sweet Tooth to premiere on June 4.

“We heard there was this great graphic novel series and they just had this incredible emotional breadth of storytelling,” Downey said in the video. “The graphic novels were a little darker, a bit more foreboding… As we were starting to see the dailies I’m like ‘This is seamless,’ like the novel just continued on.” Susan Downey, RDJ’s wife and producing partner, added: “We felt we could really hold onto the themes but make it a more enjoyable place….I just hope people have the experience that we get to have with our kids where we cuddle up on the couch and all watch it together.”

The series stars Christian Convery as Gus, the titular hybrid deer-boy, and Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd, a wandering loner. They’re joined in the cast of the series by Adeel Akhtar as Dr. Aditya Singh, Aliza Vellani as Rani Singh, Stefania LaVie Owen as Bear, Dania Ramirez as Aimee Eden, Neil Sandilands as General Abbot, with Will Forte as Father and James Brolin as the Narrator. Netflix’s official description for Sweet Tooth reads:

“Ten years ago ‘The Great Crumble’ wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids — babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them. After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a sheltered hybrid deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) unexpectedly befriends a wandering loner named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Together they set out on an extraordinary adventure across what’s left of America in search of answers— about Gus’ origins, Jepperd’s past, and the true meaning of home. But their story is full of unexpected allies and enemies, and Gus quickly learns the lush, dangerous world outside the forest is more complex than he ever could have imagined.”

Sweet Tooth will debut all eight of its episodes on the streaming service on Friday, June 4.