Fox Is Developing An Hour Long Animated ELFQUEST Television Series

Deadline Hollywood has disclosed an intriguing new project that Fox is working on that’s aiming to diversify the network’s animation portfolio.

It seems the network is creating a one-hour, animated drama that will draw inspiration from the 1978 ElfQuest comic book series published by Dark Horse. The husband and wife team known as WaRP, Wendy and Richard Pini, are the creators of the series.

The Wolfriders are fierce nomadic wanderers and their leader, Cutter, is the main protagonist for much of the comic book series. A betrayal leaves the Wolfriders forced to travel through dark underground tunnels and a  hot desert before they eventually arrive at the village of the Sun Elves, who take them in.

Throughout Cutter’s adventures, he encounters other elves, trolls and humans which leads to the tribe having their beliefs and very way of life challenged. 

In the end, the Wolfriders continuously manage to build new friendships and forge alliances as they discover that they were originally shapeshifting aliens who became stranded on Abode over 10,000 years ago.

WaRP’s story is much more than just a story about survival. It is about confronting societal prejudice, examining environmental repercussions, and navigating the complexities of interpersonal relationships. ElfQuest isn’t afraid to delve into the intricate depths of human (or elf) emotions, tackling complicated subjects such as forbidden love and bitter family feuds.

ElfQuest was a mainstay of geek culture in the 1980s and was one of the first indie comics to take off. The announcement of the adaption should delight and amaze these early Millennials. There have been several attempts over the years to adapt the comic into a film or television program, but none of them have made it past the development stage.

Fox’s television series adaption will be written by Susan Hurwitz Arneson (The Last Amazon, Magic Order), who will also act as showrunner and executive producer.

In a press statement, Wendy and Richard remarked, “ElfQuest couldn’t be in better hands. Our collaborators trust the story. We have the highest regard for their previous achievements, and they have our blessing and input. We know their adaptation of ElfQuest will be a dream come true.“

Producer Adam Rosenberg added, “Wendy and Richard created and sustained one of the most successful independent comics of all time. It’s vividly influenced many of our favorite movies and creators. Along with Susan Arneson, we see their achievement as a perfect jumping off point to explore how post-Spider-Verse animation can take the fantasy genre someplace we haven’t seen before. If you’re an artist who this speaks to, let us know. We’re looking for you.“

If you spent your teenage years in the ’80s, playing Dungeons and Dragons in your best friend’s basement, the news is sure to bring a smile to your face.

While the Fox adaptation will definitely capture the attention of these fans the larger question will be whether the unique tale can garner a non-geek following.