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Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

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Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
Promotional poster
GenreAdventure
Action
Fantasy
Created byGuillermo del Toro
Based on
Trollhunters
by
Written byGuillermo del Toro
Marc Guggenheim
Kevin Hageman
Dan Hageman
Aaron Waltke
Chad Quandt
A.C. Bradley
Voices of
Theme music composerAlexandre Desplat
ComposerTim Davies
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersRodrigo Blaas[1]
Guillermo del Toro
Marc Guggenheim
Kevin Hageman
Dan Hageman
Christina Steinberg
ProducerChad Hammes
Production companiesDreamWorks Animation
Double Dare You
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseDecember 23, 2016 –
present

Trollhunters is an American computer-animated fantasy television series created for Netflix by Guillermo del Toro and produced by DreamWorks Animation and Double Dare You.[2]

The first two episodes of the series premiered on October 8, 2016, at the New York Comic Con.[1][3] It was released worldwide on Netflix on December 23, 2016.[4] The series was nominated for four Annie Awards in 2017, winning three in the categories of Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation, Character Design, and Storyboarding in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production. On February 9, 2017, Netflix renewed the series for a second season of thirteen episodes, which is set to be released later in 2017.[5] It will be adapted into a comic book by Marc Guggenheim and Richard Hamilton.[6]

Synopsis

Beneath the fictional town of Arcadia lives a secret civilization of trolls, which humans are oblivious to. The trolls' common enemy are the Gumm-Gumms, evil trolls from the Darklands, whom the trolls' chosen warrior, known as the 'Trollhunter', is supposed to protect them from, among other dark miscreants.

Fifteen year-old James 'Jim' Lake Jr and his friend Toby find a mystical amulet which grants him the Trollhunter mantle. He is shortly approached by his new troll mentors, Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!!!. Despite his initial reluctance of leading two difficult lives, he eventually accepts his role after discovering that neglecting the amulet will nevertheless lead to its return. During his visits to Heartstone Trollmarket, the presence of the first human Trollhunter stirs resentment, but he quickly gains their honor. Throughout his training and missions, he befriends a gnome (which Toby dubs 'Gnome Chompsky') and discovers that goblins and Changelings (human-morphing trolls that replace humans to spy) are gathering for the completion of Killahead Bridge, which will be a portal for the Gumm-Gumms from the Darklands - the project is being lead by Bular, the son of the Gumm-Gumm's leader Gunmar, and the Changeling replacing Jim's high school teacher Mr. Strickler.

While discovering more mysteries, he is forced to reveal the truth about his life to Claire Nuñez when she becomes a target of the goblins. After he, Toby, Blinky, AAARRRGGHH!!! and Draal infiltrate the gathering and destroy the bridge, Jim is forced to battle Bular and eventually kills him. He returns to Trollmarket, where the citizens celebrate Bular's defeat.

Shortly afterwards, Claire proposes a quest into the Darklands to rescue her baby brother Enrique, who has been replaced with a Changeling who they dub NotEnrique. Blinky informs them that the only way out of the Darklands is to kill Gunmar - the only way to destroy him is with the three Triumbic Stones. After finding the first two, their enemy Strickler frees ancient troll assassin Angor Rot from his bonds - using Angor's ring, he forces him under his control. After Jim indirectly causes his ring to break, Angor goes on a rampage, attempting to kill Strickler and Jim - in the process, Strickler and Jim's mother are injured. Trollmarket's leader, Vendel, informs Jim that the only way to cure it is to break the binding spell that ties his mother's and Strickler's fates together - however, his mother's memories of the troll world are erased. Strickler hands Jim the last Triumbic Stone.

Angor Rot begins to invade Trollmarket after stealing the key from Toby and Claire. They defeat him. During his rampage, however, AAARRRGGHH!!! is killed, much to the grief of the group, especially Toby. Thinking that he was responsible for the death and the endangerment of his friends, Jim sets off to the Darklands alone, not wanting to lose any more of them.

Cast

  • Anton Yelchin as James "Jim" Lake Jr./Trollhunter,[1][2] the first human Trollhunter and a reluctant hero under pressure of leading two difficult lives. He has a talent for cooking and sword-fighting, and cares deeply for his mother and friends.
  • Charlie Saxton as Tobias "Toby" Domzalski,[7] Jim's best friend and brother figure who aids him in his quests. He obtains a magical warhammer.
  • Jonathan Hyde as Walt Strickler,[7] Jim's teacher Changeling who works alongside the Gumm-Gumms.
  • Kelsey Grammer as Blinky,[2] Jim's troll mentor whose head holds six eyes. Jim sees him as his surrogate father. A wise and scholarly troll with a heart of gold, Blinky is fascinated by the human world and takes full advantage of a period in which he is cursed into the form of a human to satisfy his curiosity. His secret desire has always been to drive a car.
  • Fred Tatasciore as AAARRRGGHH!!!,[7] Jim's ally who has a deep bond with Toby. He was born a Krubera troll but joined the Gumm-Gumm army - after his traumatizing experience there, he became a self-proclaimed pacifist and remains guilty about his past. Despite his peaceful demeanor, he will fight with all his considerable strength to protect those he cares about.
  • Lexi Medrano as Claire Nuñez,[7] Jim's friend and love interest. She is a feisty, kind, jolly, sarcastic, curious, and intelligent tomboy who enjoys books and is a talented martial artist and gymnast. She obtains the Shadowstaff, a staff capable of creating portals through the user's emotions.
  • Victor Raider-Wexler as Vendel, leader of Trollmarket. An ancient and wizened troll, Vendel is at first suspicious of Jim and seems a forever pessimist, but shows a softer side.
  • Ron Perlman as Bular,[2] the son of Gunmar. A hulking, powerful troll warrior, Bular was obsessed with freeing his father from the Darklands, so that they might be a family again.
  • Amy Landecker as Barbara Lake,[7] Jim's overprotective and suspicious mother. Her husband left her when Jim was five years old.
  • Steven Yeun as Steve Palchuk,[1] Jim's narcissistic bully.
  • Matthew Waterson as Draal, the son of previous Trollhunter Kanjigar. He is originally jealous and suspicious of Jim but later befriends him - he acts as Jim's fighting tutor. During the final battle with Bular, Draal sacrificed his lower right arm to save the Trollhunter amulet, and later attained a mechanical prosthetic. Draal explains that his father kept a distance from him as he grew up, and he had hoped to become the next Trollhunter that he might earn his father's approval.
  • Lauren Tom as Ms. Nomura, the changeling museum curator.
  • Jimmie Wood as NotEnrique, the Changeling replacing Enrique. He has a rocky but brotherly relationship with Claire.
  • Clancy Brown as Gunmar, the iron-fisted leader of the Gumm-Gumms who resides in the Darklands.
  • Tom Hiddleston & James Purefoy as Kanjigar the Courageous, the noble Trollhunter before Jim. His ghost tutors Jim and often worries of his team fighting, believing that to endanger his friends - this leads to Jim's guilt and venturing into the Darklands alone.
  • Ike Amadi as Angor Rot, a mysterious ancient troll assassin with an unknown past who hunts down Trollhunters' souls. In ancient times, Angor made a deal with the witch Baba Yaga, surrendering his own soul in return for his mystic powers.
  • Rodrigo Blaas as Gnome Chompsky, a Gnome with sharp teeth adopted by Toby.

Production

Initially, del Toro envisioned the idea as a live action television series; however this was deemed impractical due to budgetary concerns, and as a result he instead turned the idea into a book. DreamWorks then planned to turn the book into an animated feature film, but eventually decided to instead turn it into a series.[8]

Del Toro modeled the show's sensibilities after shows he grew up with such as Johnny Quest, identifying them as "really earnest and emotionally beautiful".[9] To this end, he sought to make the main character of Jim "in that ’70s mold," and "really a very good boy" with del Toro noting that this was a constant struggle for him to express to both writers and actors.[10] Eventually he came across Anton Yelchin, who embodied those qualities although by del Toro's estimate it still took him a few sessions to fully understand the character.[10]

When creating the show's narrative, del Toro noted that he wanted a "bittersweet journey" for the main character dealing with issues that most such "power fantasies" failed to address, telling indiewire" I wanted to say, 'Look, you can be in high school and you can have your problems. Then you get all these powers and then you have a different set of problems. There is not such a thing as a final, great outcome.'"[9]

The show serves as one of Yelchin's final projects as he died shortly after recording most of his character's dialogue.[11] Producer del Toro refused to replace his recordings,[12] which del Toro noted was a challenge for the show's recording engineers.[10] Of his decision del Toro stated that the actor "was proud of what he did, and we were so proud of how he did it." adding that his experience as a father and Yelchin's young age were also factors that led to the decision.[8]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Becoming: Part 1"Guillermo del Toro & Rodrigo BlaasStory by : Guillermo del Toro & Rodrigo Blaas
Teleplay by : Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Two trolls in an epic battle lead to consequences in the human world, especially for one boy.
2"Becoming: Part 2"Guillermo del Toro & Rodrigo BlaasStory by : Guillermo del Toro
Teleplay by : Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Still reeling from discovering the amulet's power, Jim meets with his new mentors, and learns about the sacred responsibility he has been tasked with.
3"Wherefore Art Thou, Trollhunter?"Rodrigo Blaas & Johane MatteMarc GuggenheimDecember 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Toby and Jim tour Heartstone Trollmarket, where Jim starts his training; the presence of a human Trollhunter creates resentment.
4"Gnome Your Enemy"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim gets a crash course in troll history, and is faced with problems, his first mission and a bully.
5"Waka Chaka!"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
During a field trip to a museum, Jim tries to get closer to Claire; Jim discovers that the museum curator has a surprising secret.
6"Win Lose or Draal"Rodrigo Blaas & Johane MatteStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim gets ready for a high-stakes rematch against Draal, who seems to be the amulet's rightful heir; a surprising partnership emerges.
7"To Catch a Changeling"Simon OttoStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
With the help of an ancient troll-hunting tool, Jim and Toby try to unmask the changelings living among them; Claire presents Jim with a tempting offer.
8"Adventures in Trollsitting"Rodrigo Blaas & Johane MatteStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Draal gets accustomed to his new digs; Jim tries to find out if Claire's little brother is a changeling.
9"Bittersweet Sixteen"Elaine BoganA.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron WaltkeDecember 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim's birthday is full of surprises, including the arrival of a new species of troll that is immune to the effects of sunlight.
10"Young Atlas"Andrew L. SchmidtChad Quandt & Aaron WaltkeDecember 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Draal gives Jim a totem to help lessen his anxiety about Claire; Jim's resulting overconfidence leads to a realisation.
11"Recipe for Disaster"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Claire's suspicions grow; Jim's mother invites Strickler over for a tension-filled dinner.
12"Claire and Present Danger"Andrew L. SchmidtA.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron WaltkeDecember 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
The door to the Darklands still won't open, even though the Killahead bridge is complete; when Claire becomes a target, Jim must tell her the truth.
13"The Battle of Two Bridges"Rodrigo Blaas & Johane MatteDan Hageman & Kevin HagemanDecember 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Two battles unfold when Strickler and Bular make Jim unlock the portal and free Gunmar and his army from the Darklands.
14"Return of the Trollhunter"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Claire sees the Heartstone Trollmarket for the first time; Jim receives a summons; Strickler rouses an ancient assassin.
15"Mudslinging"Rodrigo BlaasStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim looks for a way to destroy Gunmar so Claire can bring her brother home; a power-hungry Strickler comes back to Arcadia.
16"Roaming Fees May Apply"Andrew L. SchmidtStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
The heroes go on a dangerous quest in search of the first Triumbric Stone; Angor Rot creates a charm that links Barbara and Strickler's fates.
17"Blinky's Day Out"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley, Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
An unrecognizable Blinky experiences the highs and lows of being a human; Angor Rot marks Jim for a fate that is worse than death.
18"The Shattered King"Rodrigo Blaas & Johane MatteStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
As the heroes look for the second Triumbric Stone, they wind up in unfamiliar marshlands. Claire wants Jim to be her dance partner.
19"Airheads"Andrew L. SchmidtStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Toby and Claire are constantly fighting because Claire got the Shadow Staff and Toby feels slighted. Toby and Claire tackle a Trollhunter task so Jim can win a Spring King challenge. In the process, they master new weapons.
20"Where Is My Mind?"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
When a horde of pixies descends on Arcadia Oaks High, the students are sent into a tailspin; Angor Rot has a surprising proposal for Jim.
21"Party Monster"Rodrigo BlaasStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
The changeling posing as Claire's brother throws a party for the trolls of Arcadia; Jim and Toby want to take Strickler's ring.
22"It's About Time"Andrew L. SchmidtStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Chad Quandt, Aaron Waltke & Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Every second counts when Jim uses a time-stopping Kairosect to take Strickler's ring and find the second Triumbric Stone.
23"Wingmen"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
A troll queen arrives and a devastating secret is revealed; Strickler asks for Jim's protection.
24"Angor Management"Rodrigo BlaasStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Chad Quandt & Aaron Waltke		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim reluctantly joins forces with Strickler to keep Barbara alive; Gnome Chompksy returns with important news regarding Enrique.
25"A Night to Remember"Andrew L. SchmidtStory by : A.C. Bradley, Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : Marc Guggenheim		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
Jim races to break a spell that bonds Barbara and Strickler; Angor Rot attacks Claire and Toby.
26"Something Rotten This Way Comes"Elaine BoganStory by : Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman
Teleplay by : A.C. Bradley		December 23, 2016 (2016-12-23)
The heroes brace for Angor Rot's invasion and get ready for the fight of their lives; Jim finds the last Triumbric Stone.

Reception

Critical reception

Trollhunters has received acclaim from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating with an average rating of 7.81/10 based on 15 reviews for the first season. The website's consensus reads, "Trollhunters manages to capture del Toro's enthusiasm for telling monster stories, in a youthful and more colorful fashion that may well earn him a new generation of fans."[13] On Metacritic, the season has a normalized score of 69 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14]

In 2017, it received six Daytime Emmys, more than any other television program, animated or live action, that year. [15]

On January 30, 2017, Trollhunters writers Kevin & Dan Hageman stated that it is the most successful Netflix original show to date that is targeted at a younger audience.[16]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2017 Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production Mike Chaffe for character Blinky in "Becoming, Part 1" Won [17]
Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production Victor Maldonado, Alfredo Torres and Jules Rigolle for "Win, Lose or Draal" Won
Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production Alexandre Desplat and Tim Davies for "Becoming, Part 1" Nominated
Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production Hyunjoo Song for "Win, Lose or Draal" Won
Saturn Awards Best Animated Series or Film on Television Trollhunters Pending [18]
Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in Character Animation Mike Chaffe, "Becoming, Part 1" Won [19][20]
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Character Design Victor Maldonado, "Win, Lose Or Draal" Won
Outstanding Special Class Animated Program Guillermo del Toro, Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim, Chad Hammes, Christina Steinberg, Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Lawrence Jonas Nominated
Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program Kelsey Grammer, for Blinky Won
Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special Mary Hidalgo, Ania O'Hare, CSA Won
Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program Marc Guggenheim Won
Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program Rodrigo Blaas, Guillermo del Toro Won
Outstanding Main Title and Graphic Design Rodrigo Blaas, Andy Erekson, Jonathan Catalan, Dai Weier, John Laus, David M.V. Jones Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing – Animation Matthew Thomas Hall and Carlos Sanches, CAS Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c d Milligan, Mercedes (September 22, 2016). "DreamWorks TV to Premiere 'Trollhunters' at NYCC". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Andreeva, Nellie (June 15, 2016). "'Trollhunters': Anton Yelchin, Kelsey Grammer & Ron Perlman To Lead Cast Of Guillermo del Toro Netflix Animated Series". Deadline. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  3. ^ Lesnick, Silas (September 22, 2016). "DreamWorks Animation and Netflix Head to New York Comic-Con". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Patten, Dominic (October 8, 2016). "'Trollhunters' Sets December Debut Date On Netflix, Drops New Trailer & Key Art – NY Comic-Con". Deadline. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  5. ^ Snetiker, Marc (February 9, 2017). "Guillermo del Toro announces Trollhunters season 2". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  6. ^ "Guillermo Del Toro's Trollhunters To Be A Comic Book From Marc Guggenheim And Richard Hamilton #C2Ccon2017". Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movie, TV News. March 4, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e Agard, Chancellor (September 30, 2016). "Trollhunters: Guillermo del Toro previews one of Anton Yelchin's final roles — first look". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Mancuso, Vinnie. "Guillermo del Toro Talks 'Trollhunters': 'The Best Creative Experience I've Ever Had'". Observer. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Miller, Liz Shannon. "Guillermo del Toro: How Netflix's 'Trollhunters' Reconnected Him With the Joy of Childhood (And 'Fraiser')". indiewire. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Miller, Liz Shannon. "Guillermo del Toro on Losing Anton Yelchin, And What That Means for 'Trollhunters' Season 2". Indiewire. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "The mangled gate which Star Trek star Anton Yelchin, 27, was pinned against by his two TON Jeep when it rolled backwards and killed him in freak accident". Daily Mail. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  12. ^ "New York Comic Con: Guillermo Del Toro refuses to nix late Anton Yelchin's voice work in his 'Trollhunters'". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  13. ^ "Trollhunters: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  14. ^ "Trollhunters: Season 1". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  15. ^ http://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/trollhunters-tops-tv-programs-6-creative-arts-emmys-150505.html
  16. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqb2goy__dI&t=641s
  17. ^ "Annie Awards Nominees". Annie Awards. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  18. ^ McNary, Dave (March 2, 2017). "Saturn Awards Nominations 2017: 'Rogue One,' 'Walking Dead' Lead". Variety. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 44TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS" (PDF). Emmy Awards Official Site. March 23, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  20. ^ "THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR THE 44TH ANNUAL DAYTIME CREATIVE ARTS EMMY® AWARDS" (PDF). April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
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