Tom Ellis set the small screen on fire in Lucifer, which wrapped its run on Fox before being resurrected for Netflix. But his latest role, which reteams him with the streaming service, will feature the Welsh actor as we’ve never seen him before - in a first-of-its-kind project based on a popular card game.
Netflix has announced that Tom Ellis will star in Exploding Kittens, a planned multimedia franchise based on a hit card game. The project will include both an interactive game and an animated series aimed at adult audiences, with both to be released on the streaming service. The former is set to drop on Netflix this coming May, while the first season of the television series is planned for a 2023 debut.
Sound good? It should also help to know the new Exploding Kittens game will be free for everyone with a Netflix subscription - no in-app fees or charges to keep you from detonating cats to your heart’s content. The game will even incorporate characters and plot points from the upcoming show, allowing viewers to play along in an interactive setting.
Exploding Kittens will be the first project of its kind for Netflix. The streaming service has released both interactive games and shows in the past, but they have all been standalone entries without any additional content to flesh out their narratives. Even the Bandersnatch series only featured tangential connections to the rest of the Black Mirror-verse. With Exploding Kittens, Netflix will attempt to found a new kind of franchise for streaming services by creating a full world for the accompanying game.
But just what is Exploding Kittens about (actual exploding kittens notwithstanding)? The plot of the animated series will focus on a heavenly conflict between good and evil, making it a fun callback to Tom Ellis’s stint as the devil himself. According to Netflix, the show will focus on both God and the Devil, who have been somehow transported to Earth in the forms of “chunky house cats.” In addition to Tom Ellis dulcet tones, Exploding Kittens will also feature the voice talents of Lucy Liu, Abraham Lim, Ally Maki, Mark Proksch, and Sasheer Zamata.
The streamer hasn’t yet announced who will be playing which roles, although Tom Ellis is the obvious pick to voice Satan. He spent six seasons playing the devilishly devious Lucifer, and it's easy to see how his distinctive timbre could translate to an animated medium, even if it skews holier than Hell's landlord. Either way, it will be the first leading voice role for Tom Ellis in any kind of animated project - his previous credits include only a guest stint as Oscar Wilde on an episode of Family Guy and a short sketch for Robot Chicken.
We may not see Exploding Kittens on Netflix for a while, but there’s plenty of content to keep us occupied while we wait. Check out these upcoming TV releases to find out what you can watch in 2022, or take a look at the best movies on Netflix right now.
