Chris Evans, Michael Cera and More Return for Animated ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ Series
Chris Evans, Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and other stars of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World will reunite for the upcoming Netflix series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Edgar Wright directed, cowrote, and produced the 2010 romantic action-comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which bombed at the box office but later developed a cult following.
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, “Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series, the movie starred Michael Cera as the titular indie-rock bassist, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as courier Ramona Flowers, and Chris Evans, Mae Whitman, and Jason Schwartzman, among others, as the League of Evil Exes whom Scott must defeat. The stacked lineup also included Kieran Culkin, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Ellen Wong, Brandon Routh, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, and Satya Bhabha.”
O'Malley cocreated Scott Pilgrim Takes Off with BenDavid Grabinski. “I wrote this stuff almost 20 years ago,” O'Malley said to EW. “I couldn't go back and rewrite it word for word. I kept thinking, I have to tell the story of Scott Pilgrim in a world where the story of Scott Pilgrim has already been told and people know it. I had to kind of splash a new coat of paint on it and f— around with it.”
Grabinski added, “It was very important to us to make a show that surpasses any expectations people have. To me, the idea of spending years on a project that is just beat for beat the same thing feels like a waste of time.”
The Scott Pilgrim Takes Off Cocreator Describes Chris Evans as the “Most Prepared”
Evans, who returns as evil ex Lucas Lee, stepped right back into character for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. “Actually, my hilarious Chris Evans story is that he was so f—ing prepared,” said Grabinski to EW. “He showed up and he knew the script front and back. He had it just down… No offense to anybody else, but he was just a pro.” O'Malley added, “He was the most prepared easily.”
The chances of a Scott Pilgrim sequel or TV series seemed remote 13 years ago after the film opened in fifth place and failed to recoup its production budget at the box office. “I remember we had a little get-together on Friday when the film came out,” said O'Malley, who worked as a consultant on the film. “By that night we all kind of knew it was just going pewwwwwwww. I saw Michael Cera drive by, and we waved at each other, but he never showed up to the party. It was like, that's it, then! But it has it's own life. It's gone on and on and on and on.”
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off premieres on Netflix on November 17.
Robert DeSalvo is a professional writer and editor with over 25 years of experience at print and online publications such as Movieline, Playboy, PCH, Fandango, and The A.V. Club. He currently lives in Los Angeles, the setting of his favorite movie, Blade Runner. Robert has interviewed dozens of actors, directors, authors, musicians, and other celebrities during his journalism career, including Brian De Palma, Nicolas Cage, Dustin Hoffman, John Waters, Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, Bryan Cranston, Anne Rice, and many more. Horror movies, sci-fi, cult films as well as gothic, postpunk, and synthwave music are what Robert geeks over.
