The Twisted Metal live-action series has found its star. Anthony Mackie, the new Captain America, has signed on to play the lead role of John Doe in the PlayStation Productions project, per Deadline. He’ll enter the titular ring of post-apocalyptic vehicular combat filled with evil clowns and killers in hopes of seeing his greatest wish come true.
In the original video game franchise, John Doe is a fast-talking, smart-alecky milkman with no recollection of where he came from who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when told his greatest wish can be granted. All he has to do is deliver a package and his dream of finding a better life will be fulfilled. It’s never that easy, though, as Doe must deliver it across a wasteland of destruction with savages and an iconic deranged clown in an ice cream truck hunting him down. Mackie will have his work cut out for him battling the character known as Sweet Tooth for his chance at finding community.
“We’ve been big fans of Anthony’s phenomenal body of work over the years and knew he was the only actor who could play a character as complex, funny, and compelling as John Doe,” stated Glen Adilman, EVP Comedy Development, Sony TV’s interest in Mackie. “Fortunately for us, he agreed.”
PlayStation Productions brought on Mackie for his talent of mixing comedy, action, and drama in equal parts, something that fits the high octane action comedy tone of a Twisted Metal show penned by Deadpool‘s Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It’s a massive acquisition for the series, bringing on one of the most dynamic modern actors for a role that perfectly suits him.
Most recently, Mackie starred in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+ and will lead the upcoming Captain America 4. It’s unknown who the rest of the cast for the Twisted Metal adaptation will be as of yet, but it’s rumored that Will Arnett, who’s an executive producer on the show, could play opposite of Mackie as Sweet Tooth, which is a celebrity face-off I never knew I wanted until now. The show also features Michael Jonathan Smith of Cobra Kai as another writer and producer alongside a slew of producers from Artists First, PlayStation Productions, and PlayStation Studios.
There’s still so much we don’t know yet about this upcoming live-action series, including which network or platform it may land on, so stay tuned to Collider for more news.
via Collider