Ark: The Animated Series

Last updated
Ark: The Animated Series
Genre
Created by
  • Jeremy Stieglitz
  • Jesse Rapczak
Based on Ark: Survival Evolved
by Studio Wildcard
Written by
Starring
Composer Gareth Coker
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
  • Jeremy Stieglitz
  • Jesse Rapczak
  • James Baldanzi
  • Jay Oliva
  • Marc Diana
  • Doug Kennedy
  • Russell Crowe
  • Gerard Butler
  • Alan Siegel
  • Vin Diesel
  • Samantha Vincent
ProducerDavid Hartman
Editors
  • Danielle Wieczorek
  • Matt Hanchey
Running time24–47 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Paramount+
ReleaseMarch 21, 2024 (2024-03-21) –
present

Ark: The Animated Series is an American adult animated epic science-fantasy television series based on the video game Ark: Survival Evolved . The series premiered on Paramount+ on March 21, 2024. [1] [2]

Contents

Premise

Helena Walker, an Australian paleontologist on 21st-century Earth, becomes a grieving widow after the death of her wife, Victoria. One night, after drowning her sorrows in pills and wine, she wakes up suddenly to find herself in the middle of a vast ocean. Escaping from a large, charging megalodon, she soon washes up ashore on a strange island. Once there, she befriends a wild Dodo, only to discover it was being hunted by a Human male tribe hunter named Bob. After discovering the two arrived to this world in the same manner, Bob teaches Helena the way of survival.

With this strange new world filled with dinosaurs, strange technology, and warring tribes, Helena will do what it takes to survive and hopefully find a way to return to her world, earning new allies and making new enemies along the way. [3] [4] [5]

Voice cast and characters

Main

Supporting

Additionally, Dee Bradley Baker [7] provides vocalizations for various creatures on the ARK, most notably a Dodo and Scary, a Parasaurolophus , who are Helena's animal companions.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byOriginal air date
1"Element 1"Jeremy Stieglitz
Jay Oliva
David Hartman		March 21, 2024 (2024-03-21)
2"Element 2"Jeremy Stieglitz
Sebastian Montes		March 21, 2024 (2024-03-21)

The series received a mixed reception from critics. Neerja Choudhuri of Midgird Times was more critical, giving the series a rating of 6 out of 10, saying that while is pulls you in at first, with dynamic characters and a vibrant world, it "struggles to maintain its momentum," criticizing it having a lackluster plot, and is an extension of the video game "instead of a series," but has a "glimmer of potential waiting to be realized." [20] Joshua Kristian McCoy of GameRant said that although the series "isn't groundbreaking, it remains compelling through its visual storytelling," called the narrative straightforward but compelling, said it won't be a favorite of everyone but might become "the best introduction to the hit survival game ever produced" and compared it to other adaptations of video games like Castlevania , and live-action adaptions such as Super Mario Bros. , Double Dragon , Lara Croft: Tomb Raider , and Assassin's Creed . [21]

Aidan Kelley of Collider described the premiere of the six episodes as a "pleasant surprise" but said that its unexpected drop "misses out on some crucial marketing." Kelley also called the series "technically" a prequel to Ark: Survival Evolved, praised the concept as fascinating, and has amazing presentation, although it isn't perfect. [22] Rafael Motamayor of IGN called the series a combination of Predators and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter , said it was unfortunate it dropped "unceremoniously" on Paramount+ because it adds to a "recent wave of great animated video game adaptations", compared it to Primal by noting that the series "uses its creatures to their maximum potential," with enough "cool elements" to sustain its six-episode arc, has an "impressive cast" which he criticized as "a bit distracting," and called the series a "mightly impressive production". Motamayor also said that the series looks similar to the "video game it adapts", but criticized it for not offering a "fresh...experience" but praised the show's score, fluid action, and an intriguing world which makes "for a thrilling season of TV." [23]

Tara Bennett of Paste said that the series gives non-players and players of Ark: Survival Evolved , a "serialized, hard sci-fi story to dive into, with more episodes on the way later this year." [14]

Related Research Articles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, commonly abbreviated as TMNT, is a media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. Supporting characters include the turtles' sensei, a rat called Splinter, their human friends April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and enemies such as Baxter Stockman, Krang, and their archenemy, the Shredder.

<i>The Proud Family</i> American animated sitcom

The Proud Family is an American animated television series created by Bruce W. Smith that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from September 15, 2001, to August 19, 2005. The series centers on the life of the titular family, including the show’s main protagonist, Penny Proud, a 14-year-old African American teenager who navigates her adolescence while dealing with her friends and family. Episodes deal with Penny discovering her boundaries and struggling with family relationships and peer pressure. Penny Proud has strong relationships with her entrepreneurial father Oscar Proud and her veterinarian mother Trudy Proud, as well as her best friends Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez, Zoey Howzer, and Sticky Webb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Yeoh</span> Malaysian actress (born 1962)

Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng is a Malaysian actress. Credited as Michelle Khan in her early films in Hong Kong, she rose to fame in the 1990s after starring in Hong Kong action films where she performed her own stunts. These roles include Yes, Madam (1985); Magnificent Warriors (1987); Police Story 3: Supercop (1992); The Heroic Trio (1993); Holy Weapon (1993); and Tai Chi Master (1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vin Diesel</span> American actor (born 1967)

Mark Sinclair, known professionally as Vin Diesel, is an American actor and film producer. One of the world's highest-grossing actors, he is best known for portraying Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Tudyk</span> American actor (born 1971)

Alan Wray Tudyk is an American actor. His film work includes roles in 28 Days (2000), A Knight's Tale (2001), Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004), voice and motion capture for Sonny in I, Robot (2004), and 3:10 to Yuma (2007). He starred in the black comedy horror film Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010). Tudyk has also appeared in the films, Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), 42 (2013), Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and Trumbo (2015). He has voiced characters in every Walt Disney Animation Studios film since 2012.

Fast & Furious, also known as The Fast and the Furious, is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, toys, video games, live shows, and theme park attractions. The films are distributed by Universal Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir</span> Icelandic actress and swimmer

Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir, also known as Ragga Ragnars is an Icelandic actress and former swimmer, who specialised in sprint freestyle events. She is a multiple-time Icelandic record holder in both long and short course freestyle. After retiring from swimming, Ragnheiður studied acting and played the role of Gunnhild on the TV series Vikings from 2018 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Crowe filmography</span>

Russell Crowe is an actor. He gained international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 epic historical film Gladiator, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. Crowe's other performances include tobacco firm whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in the drama film The Insider (1999) and mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in the biopic A Beautiful Mind (2001). He has also starred in films Romper Stomper with Daniel Pollock (1992), The Quick and the Dead with Sharon Stone (1995), L.A. Confidential with Guy Pearce (1997), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World with Paul Bettany (2003), Cinderella Man with Renée Zellweger (2005), 3:10 to Yuma with Christian Bale (2007), American Gangster with Denzel Washington (2007), State of Play with Ben Affleck (2009), and Robin Hood with Cate Blanchett (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devery Jacobs</span> First Nations actress

Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs is a First Nations (Mohawk) actress, writer, and director. For her performance in Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013), she garnered a Canadian Screen Awards nomination for Best Actress. In 2023 and 2024, for her role on Reservation Dogs, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

<i>Ark: Survival Evolved</i> 2017 video game

Ark: Survival Evolved is a 2015 action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard. In the game, players must survive being stranded on one of several maps filled with roaming dinosaurs, fictional fantasy monsters, and other prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and potentially hostile human players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeleine Madden</span> Australian actress

Madeleine Madden is an Aboriginal Australian actress. She is best known for playing Egwene al'Vere in the Amazon Prime series The Wheel of Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studio Wildcard</span> American video game developer

Wildcard Properties, LLC is an American video game developer with offices in Redmond, Washington, and Gainesville, Florida. The company was founded in October 2014 by Doug Kennedy, Jesse Rapczak, Jeremy Stieglitz, and Susan Browning Stieglitz. Stieglitz had previously left his position at Trendy Entertainment in August 2014 under a one-year non-compete agreement. The company sued him and Studio Wildcard in December 2015 for breach of contract, among other allegations, and the parties settled in April 2016. Studio Wildcard's debut game, Ark: Survival Evolved, was released in August 2017. In 2018, it set up Grapeshot Games to develop Atlas. A sequel, Ark II, was announced in December 2020.

<i>Fast & Furious Spy Racers</i> American computer-animated streaming television series

Fast & Furious Spy Racers is an American animated television series that premiered on Netflix on December 26, 2019, based on the Fast & Furious film series by Gary Scott Thompson. The series is executive produced by Tim Hedrick, Bret Haaland, Vin Diesel, Neal Moritz, and Chris Morgan. Hedrick and Haaland also serve as the show's showrunners.

<i>Star Trek: Prodigy</i> American animated television series

Star Trek: Prodigy is an American animated science fiction television series created by Kevin and Dan Hageman for the streaming service Paramount+ and the cable channel Nickelodeon. It is the tenth Star Trek series and debuted in 2021 as part of executive producer Alex Kurtzman's expanded Star Trek Universe. Prodigy is the first Star Trek series to target younger audiences, and the franchise's first solely 3D animated series. It follows a group of young aliens in the 24th century who find the abandoned starship Protostar.

<i>Arcane</i> (TV series) 2021 animated fantasy series

Arcane is an animated steampunk action-adventure television series created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee. It was produced by the French animation studio Fortiche under the supervision of Riot Games, and distributed by Netflix. Set in Riot's League of Legends universe, it primarily focuses on sisters Vi and Jinx. The series was announced at the League of Legends 10th anniversary celebration in 2019, and first released in November 2021. Following the conclusion of the first season, Riot Games and Netflix announced that a second season was in production, to be released in November 2024.

<i>Big Nate</i> (TV series) American animated television series

Big Nate is an American animated television series developed by Mitch Watson and based on the comic strip and book series of the same name by Lincoln Peirce. It follows the adventures of the titular protagonist, alongside his friends, in sixth grade. The executive producers are Mitch Watson and John Cohen. Peirce is also collaborating with the producers for the show. The show premiered on Paramount+ on February 17, 2022. In March 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on July 7, 2023.

<i>I Am Groot</i> 2022–present Marvel Studios animated shorts

I Am Groot is an American series of animated shorts created by Kirsten Lepore for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics featuring the character Groot. It features characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), following Baby Groot on various adventures that get him into trouble between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's (2017) mid-credits scenes. The series is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with Lepore serving as head writer and director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grove Street Games</span> American video game developer

War Drum Studios LLC, doing business as Grove Street Games since 2020, is an American video game developer based in Tioga, Florida. The company was founded as War Drum Studios in October 2007 by Thomas Williamson and Michael Owen. It is known for developing mobile game ports, including several based on Rockstar Games properties.

References

  1. ↑ Carter, Justin (December 24, 2022). "The Ark TV Show Trailer May Have Sold Me on Ark: Survival Evolved". Gizmodo . Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Hailu, Selome (March 21, 2024). "'Ark: The Animated Series' Surprise Drops on Paramount+". Variety . Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ Lang, Jamie (January 3, 2023). "'ARK: The Animated Series' Gets First Trailer With Star-Studded Voice Cast". Cartoon Brew . Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Kelley, Aiden (January 5, 2023). "Ark: The Animated Series". Collider . Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Paramount+ Surprise Drops 'ARK: The Animated Series' VG Adaptation". Animation Magazine . March 21, 2024. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Studio Wildcard Announces ARK: Survival Evolved Animated Television Series, Featuring Unprecedented Voice Cast, Including Gerard Butler, Michelle Yeoh, Madeleine Madden, Elliot Page, David Tennant, Jeffrey Wright, With Russell Crowe and Vin Diesel". Global Newswire (Press release). Studio Wildcard. 11 December 2020. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Studio Wildcard Debuts ARK 2 Trailer Featuring Vin Diesel & Newly Signed Auli'i Cravalho Plus Content Plan Reveals for Acclaimed ARK Franchise". Global Newswire (Press release). Studio Wildcard. June 12, 2022. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  8. ↑ Del Rosario, Alexandra (December 11, 2020). "Ark: The Animated Series: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh & Elliot Page Among Voice Cast Members In New Video Game-Inspired Show". Deadline . Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  9. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (June 25, 2021). "Digital Dimension Ent. Group, Lex+Otis Launch KRAKN Animation JV". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  10. ↑ Beresford, Trilby (December 11, 2020). "Vin Diesel Joins Developer Studio Wildcard to Exec Produce and Act in Ark II Video Game, Animated Series". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ "ARK: The Animated Series, Season 1 Trailer". GoNintendo. December 23, 2022. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ "RIDE: Shadow Legends Billion-Dollar Mobile Game Franchise to Be Made Into Limited Animated Series". Global Newswire (Press release). Pixel United. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Zahed, Ramin (March 31, 2023). "Showrunner Jay Oliva on Expanding a Video Game Fantasy in 'RAID: Call of the Arbiter'". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Bennett, Tara (April 5, 2024). "Toon In: Animated TV Highlights for April, from ARK: The Animated Series to Knuckles". Paste . Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (December 11, 2020). "'Ark' Game-Inspired Series Casts Vin Diesel, Elliot Page, Michelle Yeoh & More". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  16. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (December 20, 2023). "Ark 2 Still on Track for Late 2024, CEO Says". IGN . Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  17. ↑ Jacobs, Mira (December 30, 2022). "ARK: The Animated Series Drops a Heartbreaking New Season 1 Trailer". CBR . Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ Goldberg, Leslie (March 21, 2024). "Paramount+ Bets on Another Video Game Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  19. ↑ Bankhurst, Adam (March 21, 2024). "ARK: The Animated Series' First Six Episodes Are Now Available on Paramount+". IGN . Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  20. ↑ Choudhuri, Neerja (March 22, 2024). "'Ark: The Animated Series' Review - A Plotline With An Unrealized Potential". Midgird Times. Archived from the original on March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  21. ↑ McCoy, Joshua Kristian (March 25, 2024). "Ark: The Animated Series Proves What Castlevania Fans Already Knew". Gamerant. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  22. ↑ Kelley, Aidan (March 30, 2024). "Don't Sleep on 2024's Best Video Game Adaptation So Far". Collider . Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  23. ↑ Motamayor, Rafael (March 25, 2024). "Ark: The Animated Series Season 1 Part 1 Review". IGN . Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.