From PlayStation icon to streaming star
For those unfamiliar with gaming history, Crash Bandicoot first bounded onto the scene in 1996 as one of Sony PlayStation’s most recognizable mascots. Naughty Dog, the studio founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, brought the character to life and delivered the original trilogy along with Crash Team Racing, all of which became both critical darlings and commercial hits. Following Naughty Dog’s exit from the franchise, Crash’s ownership journey became quite the adventure itself, transitioning from Universal Interactive (which became Vivendi) to eventually landing with Activision, now operating under Microsoft’s umbrella. The series evolved beyond platforming over time, expanding into racing games and party titles. Recently, the franchise experienced a major comeback when the N. Sane Trilogy remake launched in 2017 to massive success, ultimately leading to fresh content like Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
WildBrain Studios brings impressive credentials to this project, particularly their work on Sonic Prime, which delivered 23 episodes across three seasons from December 2022 through January 2024. Their Netflix portfolio also includes Carmen Sandiego, Johnny Test, Go, Dog. Go!, and the live-action series I Woke Up A Vampire. Beyond Netflix, they’ve contributed to productions like Malory Towers, Polly Pocket, The Snoopy Show, and Fireman Sam. At this stage, plot specifics remain confidential, and no creative team members have been announced.
Interestingly, this won’t be Crash’s Netflix debut. The character previously appeared in Skylanders Academy, an Activision Blizzard Studios and TeamTO production, with voice work by Eric Rogers in the first season and Rhys Darby in the final season. Coco Bandicoot made appearances as well.
However, this represents the first time Crash will headline his own series, even though previous attempts have been made. The most recent effort involved Activision partnering with Amazon Studios on an animated project that ultimately didn’t materialize.
Netflix’s growing gaming empire
Netflix continues expanding its animation slate with video game properties. For mature audiences, they’ve greenlit adaptations of Splinter Cell and Tomb Raider, alongside the critically acclaimed Arcane, which draws from League of Legends. Younger viewers can look forward to a Minecraft series, also produced by WildBrain, and a Clash of Clans adaptation currently in development. The platform is even branching into board game territory, with projects based on Catan, Clue!, and Monopoly in various stages of production.