Gather 'round, gamers and non-gamers: The Cuphead Show is finally coming to Netflix. Announced back in 2019, the adaptation of the popular independent video game from StudioMDHR finally has both a release date and a trailer for the latest adventures of Cuphead and Mugman, a pair of anthropomorphized beverage vessels who keep getting into trouble.
While this doesn't count as a part of Netflix's foray into gaming (which has yielded some positive results including The Witcher and Arcane), The Cuphead Show arrives with some baggage. Netflix's misses ring louder than its successes, and it's most recent flop with Cowboy Bebop gives fans another reason to wonder if a show that fans weren't demanding will turns out OK.
The existence of a Cuphead show makes sense, though, as the game's amazing old-school animation style, jazz soundtrack and sense of humor lend themselves to the visual medium of TV.
And based on the first trailer, fans of the series have reason to be somewhat optimistic. The series seems faithful to the source material, both with familiar characters, funny references to the game and the same vibe. Here's what we know about Netflix's The Cuphead Show. And if this show is as good as it looks, it will be the kind of project that helps cement Netflix's role as one of the best streaming services.
The Cuphead Show trailer
The first trailer for The Cuphead Show (which dropped on Jan. 18, 2022) starts off with a world map — which grounds the show in the fact that this is a video game adaptation. Based on that map at the start of the trailer, you may think we'll see pirates, dragons and mer-people in the series, and the trailer does show the dragon is coming.
Then, we see Cuphead and Mugman painting a picket fence white, which is clearly meant to reference The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, as Cuphead declares they need fun and adventure. In the clip we also Ms. Chalice, who is going to be in the 2022 DLC Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course.
Unfortunately, this appears to mean traveling to the local Carnevil (yes, that's how it's spelled)/ The meta-yuks keep coming, as Cuphead's ghost (seen when the character dies) even flies out of his body at one point.
The Cuphead Show release date on Netflix
Cuphead is coming to Netflix on February 18, 2022. This was announced in the first trailer for the show, which you can watch below. Netflix has been slowly teasing out the release of the show for years, and we're hoping all this time in the oven has helped it make sure the show will be a hit.
Looking to tide yourself over? There's a new Cuphead "adventure" online.
The Cuphead Show cast
The biggest name in The Cuphead Show is Wayne Brady, who will be voicing the villainous King Dice.
Veteran voice actor Tru Valentino (who can be heard in everything from Psychonauts 2 to Fast & Furious Spy Racers) is voicing the titular Cuphead, an ambitious and slightly foolhardy cup-person. Cuphead's brother Mugman is voiced by Frank Todaro (whose credits include Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles, My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission and Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy).
The rest of the announced The Cuphead Show cast is as follows:
- Grey Griffin as the voice of Ms. Chalice
- Luke Millington-Drake as the voice of The Devil (another villain)
- Joe Hanna as the voice of Elder Kettle (last seen yelling at Cuphead and Mugman)
- Jim Conroy as the voice of Ollie Bulb
