Todd McFarlane Says Spawn Animated Series Talk Is Heating Up

As talk of Todd McFarlane's Spawn reboot movie continues to make the rounds, the prolific comic creator is also talking about a potential return to animation for the hero. Some fans may recall the three-season HBO animated series that aired in the late 90s, but the character hasn't made the leap back to being animated. McFarlane previously revealed what would need to happen for a new animated Spawn to be birthed into the world, and apparently things are moving in that direction. Speaking in a new interview, McFarlane said talks have taken place with potential studios for an animated series.

"I was having a conversation about the animation yesterday with a pretty big animation house. So those topics are heating up.," McFarlane said on Joe Q's Mornin' Warm Up. "I know that people are saying that, 'Todd, you talk a lot about the movie and the Hollywood stuff and nothing's really happening,' and that's not true. Especially with production being shut down."

He continued, "I can tell you right now there is momentum going on Spawn, the movie, and I'm not just saying that on my end, I'm saying that the things you need to do to eventually get to the point where you're going to get into production once COVID allows us to get into production, all those things are going on right now and we're adding talent, big, big talent that we haven't announced yet. I wish I could but I can't. So the Spawn movie is not a casualty right now, we're moving as much as we can, given that there's no production. When will we be in production? I don't know, that's still an unknown, but all the steps we need to take to get there are currently being done behind the curtain."

As McFarlane outlined previously, talks of an animated series aren't the only conversations he's had. The comic creator noted last month that he's been in talks for a live-action television series as well. Much like the theoretical animated show, the existence of a TV series will all depend on the success of the feature film.

"I think it's still all will be driven, by the movie or if not, then in lieu of the movie, then I shift all my attention to a TV show," McFarlane previously told ComicBook.com. "But for now I'm pretty bent on just getting the movie out. And I think that will tumble everything else. Then people go 'We need it on TV. We need some more animation. We need some video games, we need stuff. We like Spawn when's the next movie come?'"

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is set to take on the titular role with Jeremy Renner attached to star as Detective Twitch in the Spawn feature. The film will also see The Walking Dead special makeup effects guru Greg Nicotero working behind the scenes as well as "a couple of [directors of photography] that have won [awards]," with producer Jason Blum backing it.