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Entergalactic (TV special)

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Entergalactic
Promotional poster
Genre
Created by
Based onEntergalactic
by Kid Cudi
Written by
  • Ian Edelman
  • Maurice Williams
Story byScott Mescudi
Directed byFletcher Moules
Voices of
Music by
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
  • Kenya Barris
  • Scott Mescudi
  • Karina Manashil
  • Maurice Williams
  • Ian Edelman
  • Fletcher Moules
  • Dennis Cummings
Producers
  • Michael Penketh
  • Mike Moon
EditorCarole Kravetz Aykanian
Running time92 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseSeptember 30, 2022 (2022-09-30)

Entergalactic (stylized in all caps) is a 2022 adult animated music television special created by American musician and actor Kid Cudi, that serves as a visual companion piece to the album of the same name. Initially announced as a television series, in August 2022, Entergalactic was then redeveloped as a TV special.[1] The special premiered on September 30, 2022, exclusively on Netflix, simultaneously with the album.[2]

Directed by Fletcher Moules, it is based on the album, which Cudi recorded before storyboarding the TV special. Alongside Cudi, it stars the voices of Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Ty Dolla Sign, Laura Harrier, Vanessa Hudgens, Christopher Abbott, 070 Shake, Teyana Taylor, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Arturo Castro, and Macaulay Culkin.

A romantic comedy, Entergalactic uses an art style inspired by that of I Lost My Body (2019) and When Harry Met Sally... (1989). Billed as a "television event", it received critical acclaim for its animation, visual style, music, and story. Entergalactic is dedicated to Cudi's deceased friend, American fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who served as a costume designer on the project before his death,[3] with the release date coinciding with Abloh's birth date.[4][5]

Synopsis

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Jabari is a charming, streetwear-clad artist on the cusp of real success. Mr. Rager, the character represented in his graffiti art across the city has been selected to be turned into a comic. After a chance run-in with his cool new photographer neighbor, Meadow, Jabari has to figure out whether he can make space for love in his life.

Voice cast

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Kid Cudi in 2010

Production

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Development

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On July 23, 2019, Netflix announced that Kid Cudi and Ian Edelman would write and produce what was originally going to be an animated music TV series adaptation of Cudi's album Entergalactic. Cudi had previously collaborated with Edelman in 2010, on the HBO series How to Make It in America and Cudi starred as William in the 2018 film The After Party, which Edelman directed. Cudi serves as an executive producer alongside Kenya Barris, through their respective production companies Mad Solar and Khalabo Ink Society.[6]

Kid Cudi originally planned for Entergalactic to be a live-action series, before Kenya Barris convinced him to make it an animated series.[7] In a November 2019 interview, when speaking on the dual projects, Barris said, "The idea of there's never been an album and a series dropped at the same time, so each song will have a 30-minute narrative that kind of explains what that song is about and it's a love story . . . It's a youthful love story told through Cudi's music."[8]

In September 2021, Cudi took to Twitter to thank the team that helped bring the project to fruition, and reassured fans they wouldn't be disappointed: "Wait til y'all hear and see Entergalactic. [You] have no idea. I really wanna thank Kenya Barris, Mike Moon, Elizabeth Porter and the whole team for believing in my vision and helping bring it to life. Everything about this show is next level. Ull [sic] see."[9][10]

In an August 2022 interview with Esquire, Cudi revealed he recorded the music first—"a suite of songs on the beauty of being freed by love"—and worked backward to storyboard the narrative before hiring a writing team to script it.[11]

On August 25, 2022, it was announced in a press release Entergalactic would instead be released as a television special.[1] On October 1, Cudi clarified on Twitter: "Its a series but done in a very unique way broken up into chapters not episodes designed for binging! So, it feels like a movie [because] its an hour and a half and can be seen in one sitting but this is a series. Hope that makes sense. The goal is for more seasons."[12]

Casting

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In July 2019, Cudi was cast in the series.[6] In June 2022, Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Ty Dolla Sign, Laura Harrier, Vanessa Hudgens, Christopher Abbott, 070 Shake, Teyana Taylor, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Arturo Castro, and Macaulay Culkin were revealed to be the rest of the cast.[13] On June 8, Cudi revealed his real-life older sister, Maisha, would voice his on-screen older sister Ellie, among other voices.[14]

Animation, design, and influences

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The animation was handled by DNEG Animation in London, which also co-produced the special. A 3D map of New York was downloaded and rebuilt in the pipeline. Influences for the film's design were I Lost My Body (2019) and When Harry Met Sally... (1989).[15]

Music

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Main article: Entergalactic (album)
Entergalactic (Original Score)
Film score by
Dot da Genius and Plain Pat
ReleasedOctober 14, 2022
GenreFilm score
Length37:00
LabelNetflix Music, LLC
ProducerDot da Genius and Plain Pat
Dot da Genius chronology
Entergalactic (Original Score)
(2022) 		TBA
(2023)
Plain Pat chronology
Entergalactic (Original Score)
(2022)

Kid Cudi's eighth solo album Entergalactic doubles as a soundtrack for the TV special. The album consists of original songs performed by Cudi, of which the TV special is based on.

Additionally, a film score composed entirely by American record producers Dot da Genius and Plain Pat, was released on October 14, 2022, by Netflix Music, LLC.[16]

Other songs featured in the TV special include "By Design" by Kid Cudi featuring André 3000, "Inside My Love" by Minnie Riperton, "In My Bed (So So Def Mix)" by Dru Hill and "Feudal Castle" by Derek Fiechter and Brandon Fiechter.[17]

Entergalactic (Original Score)
  • All music composed by Dot da Genius and Plain Pat, except where noted.
Entergalactic (Original Score) track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Afternoon & Murakami"2:15
2."The Nomad Bar"2:09
3."Ky Vision"2:29
4."Jimmy's Vision"1:49
5."Chinatown Night" (Oladipo Omishore)1:49
6."Las Lap"2:52
7."Waverly Inn" (Omishore)2:27
8."Carmen's Instagram"2:17
9."Presentation 2" (Omishore)1:11
10."Getting Ready"1:19
11."Vagina Party"3:09
12."Loft Party"1:57
13."Meadow's Show" (Omishore)2:44
14."DPP"2:12
15."Nightmare"1:53
16."Ky's Flashback"1:20
17."Stush Ad" (Omishore)1:53
18."Presentation 2 Complete" (Omishore)1:03
Total length:37:00

Release

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On September 15, 2021, Cudi revealed that the series, and the album, is set to premiere in 2022.[18] In September 2021, Cudi released a short trailer in promotion for the Netflix series, which revealed the music would be produced by his longtime collaborators Dot da Genius and Plain Pat.[19][20]

On April 24, 2022, Cudi wrote on Twitter: "Entergalactic is gonna be something really fucking special. Minds will melt. This cast?? The MUSIC?? Listen. [You] heard it here first. Remember this tweet. Stay tuned for more news in June!"[21] On June 8, Netflix unveiled the "first look" at Entergalactic, in a trailer that also revealed the cast.[22]

On June 10, the first original song created for the series, titled "Do What I Want", was issued on streaming platforms as the album's first official single. On July 12, Cudi revealed on Twitter, the official trailer for the show will premiere in August, featuring two new songs, with one of the songs set to be released as the second single.[23] On September 12, Netflix unveiled a new trailer for Entergalactic, which included the aforementioned single, "Willing to Trust".[24]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 31 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.30/10.[25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 10 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[26]

Rendy Jones of Paste wrote, "Entergalactic is as sweet a romantic comedy as it is an ethereal animated odyssey. It's a stylish, colorful love letter to animation and the simplicity of Black love in the modern age. It feels like the lovechild between When Harry Met Sally and Spider-Verse for a Black demographic, who deserve stories like this no matter what medium they're presented in."[27] Chase Hutchinson of Collider wrote, "A rare gem of an animated work, Kid Cudi guides us on a sublime journey that explores the bond between two people drawn together by love."[28]

Justin Charity of The Ringer wrote, "It's saucy and cute, which is to say, it's a sharp attitude adjustment for such a dreary rapper and refreshingly effective as such. Netflix's Entergalactic is a feature-length promotional complement to his latest album, but it's also a creative breakthrough in its own right."[29] Rachel Ho of Exclaim! gave it a 8/10 rating, stating that "the story of Jabari and Meadow may be one we all know very well, but it's the world of Entergalactic that captures the imagination, sonically and visually."[30]

Joshua Alston of Variety concluded with "what's available of Entergalactic is frequently intoxicating. Director Fletcher Moules doesn't miss a single opportunity to add beautifully animated flourishes to the script written by Mescudi, Ian Edelman, and Maurice Williams. There are sublime musical numbers, for lack of a better term, that let Mescudi's music breathe and crank the visuals to 11. But the shifts between Entergalactic's spacy elements and its grounded moments aren't always smooth, another consequence of the series-to-special evolution. There's much to love about Mescudi's love story, except the fact that there isn't more of it to love."[31]

Accolades

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 16, 2022 Original Song – TV Movie Streamed "Willing to Trust" written by Kid Cudi, Ty Dolla Sign, Dot da Genius, Evan Mast, Rami Eadeh and Lenzo Won [32]
Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema and Television December 5, 2022 Groundbreaker Award Scott Mescudi for Entergalactic Won [33]
NAACP Image Awards February 22, 2023 Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special Scott Mescudi, Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams Won [34]
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album Entergalactic Nominated
Annie Awards February 25, 2023 Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production Aziz Kocanaogullari Nominated [35]
Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production Meybis Ruiz Cruz Nominated
Black Reel Television Awards June 15, 2023 Outstanding Television Movie or Limited Series Entergalactic Nominated [36]
Outstanding Musical Score Dot Da Genius and Plain Pat Nominated
Outstanding Original Song "Angel" written by Kid Cudi, Jean Baptiste, Sadpony and Justin Raisen Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards January 10, 2024 Outstanding Animated Program Entergalactic Nominated [37][38]
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation Meybis Ruiz Cruz Won

Future

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On October 1, 2022, Kid Cudi revealed via Twitter that while Entergalactic was "like a movie", its purpose was closer to that of a television pilot, revealing that he intended to produce "more seasons" ("hour and a half"-long films) making up an Entergalactic series, per the project's original announcement as being a television series.[12] In December 2022, Cudi revealed that although Entergalactic is a standalone special, he is working on a new animated project.[39]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Netflix Unveils September Highlights, Plus 'Dragon Prince' S4 Key Art". Animation Magazine. August 24, 2022.
  2. ^ Petski, Denise (June 15, 2022). "'Entergalactic': Kid Cudi & Kenya Barris Animated Series Gets Netflix Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "How Virgil Abloh Made the Animated Clothes in 'Entergalactic' Look Real". Tudum.
  4. ^ The Chosen One [@KiDCuDi] (September 23, 2022). "Virgil's Bday is Sept 30th. Entergalactic is dedicated to him and his legacy. We will celebrate my friend too next week yall. #virgilforever" (Tweet). Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "Kid Cudis dedicates Entergalactic to Virgil Abloh on late designer's birthday". HITC. September 30, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Kenya Barris and Kid Cudi to Bring His Next Album to Life in First of Its Kind Adult Animated Music Series Entergalactic". Netflix Media Center (Press release). July 23, 2019. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  7. ^ Yu, Brandon (October 11, 2022). "Kid Cudi Reveals How 'Entergalactic,' Planned as Live-Action Series, Became an Animated Special". Variety.
  8. ^ "Kenya Barris Talks Kid Cudi's 'Entergalactic' Album and Series". Complex. November 27, 2019. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "MySpace Inspires Kid Cudi Reflection on Pre-Success Goals: "I Had That Fire Burnin in Me"". 92 Q. September 28, 2021. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "Kid Cudi Teases 'Entergalactic' and 'MOTM3' Tour, Says 'Next Level Sh*t' Takes Time". Complex. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "Kid Cudi is All Right". August 17, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Cudi, Kid [@KiDCuDi] (October 1, 2022). "It [is] done in a very unique way broken up into chapters not episodes designed for binging! So [because] it[']s an hour and a half and can be seen in one sitting[,] this [will be] a series. Hope that makes sense. The goal is for more seasons" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (June 8, 2022). "'Entergalactic': Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Vanessa Hudgens, Macaulay Culkin & More Join Kid Cudi In Voice Cast Of Netflix Animated Series". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  14. ^ The Chosen One [@KiDCuDi] (June 9, 2022). "My real life big sister Maisha plays my big sister Ellie in Entergalactic. She did some other voices too it was unreal. im so so fuckin proud of her 🥹" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Lang, Jamie (September 30, 2022). "How Google Maps And 'When Harry Met Sally' Helped Create The World Of 'Entergalactic'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  16. ^ "Dot Da Genius Shares Soundtrack From Kid Cudi's Netflix Special 'Entergalactic'". Complex. October 17, 2022.
  17. ^ "Entergalactic soundtrack: All of the music from Kid Cudi's Netflix special". September 30, 2022.
  18. ^ Cudi, Kid [@kidcudi] (September 15, 2021). "First taste of Entergalactic!!! Music produced by Dot Da Genius and Plain Pat. 2022 only on NETFLIX". Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021 – via Instagram.
  19. ^ "Kid Cudi Shares First Look at Netflix Series & Album "Entergalactic"". HotNewHipHop. September 15, 2021. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  20. ^ "Kid Cudi releases teaser for his upcoming Netflix show 'Entergalactic'". Tone Deaf. September 16, 2021. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  21. ^ The Chosen One [@KiDCuDi] (April 24, 2022). "Entergalactic is gonna be something really fucking special. Minds will melt. This cast?? The MUSIC?? Listen. U heard it here first. Remember this tweet. Stay tuned for more news in June! - Scott" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ ENTERGALACTIC | First Look | Netflix. Netflix. June 8, 2022. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ The Chosen One [@KiDCuDi] (July 12, 2022). "First real trailer for Entergalactic comin next month and will feature a taste of two new songs from the series. I'll drop one of the songs after. So yea, 2nd single comin soon baby 😶🌫️⚠️" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Netflix Shares Trailer for Kid Cudi's "Entergalactic"". HotNewHipHop. September 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "Entergalactic". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  26. ^ "Entergalactic - TV Show Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  27. ^ "Kid Cudi's Stylish Entergalactic on Netflix is a Win for Black Rom-Com Representation". Paste. September 30, 2022.
  28. ^ "'Entergalactic' Review: Kid Cudi Melds His Music with a Vibrant Animated Experience About Finding Love". Collider. September 30, 2022.
  29. ^ "'Entergalactic' is a Creative Breakthrough for Kid Cudi". The Ringer. September 30, 2022.
  30. ^ "Kid Cudi's Vibey 'Entergalactic' Film Stands Alone Directed by Fletcher Moules". Exclaim!.
  31. ^ "Kid Cudi's 'Entergalactic' Blends Edgy Adult Animation with Conventional Romantic Comedy: TV Review". Variety. September 30, 2022.
  32. ^ "2022 HMMA Nominations".
  33. ^ "Kid Cudi to Receive Groundbreaker Award at Critics Choice Black Cinema". November 4, 2022.
  34. ^ "Kid Cudi Wins for 'Entergalactic' on Night Four of 2023 NAACP Image Awards". February 24, 2023.
  35. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 17, 2023). "Annie Awards: 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' Leads Feature Competition With Nine Noms". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  36. ^ Complex, Valerie (June 15, 2023). "Black Reel 7th Annual Television Awards Featuring Gender Neutral Categories Announces Nominations; 'The Best Man: Final Chapters' Leads With 18 Noms". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  37. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (July 12, 2023). "Animation & VFX Emmy Nominees Announced". Animation Magazine. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "Television Academy Announces Juried Winners for 75th Emmy Awards" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  39. ^ The Chosen One [@KiDCuDi] (December 21, 2022). "Nooo sadly, it was just a special. BUT, im not done w animation, and my next project im workin on is gonna fuck u up in the best ways too. Trust!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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