Our Full Interview With Captain Laserhawk Creator Adi Shankar

Oliver Brandt

Adi Shankar

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is available to stream on Netflix now, and fans have been going wild for it. The brain-child of Adi Shankar, Captain Laserhawk takes all the Ubisoft characters you know and love, flips them upside-down, and turns out one of the most chaotic animated series you’ll ever see.

Recently, GLHF got the opportunity to sit down with Adi to chat about the series, how it came about, and what makes him tick. We’ve published a few stories from this interview, as you can see in the list below:

Not to toot our own horn, but they’re all great reads. That said, Adi Shankar is as much a wordsmith as he is a visionary, and denying you the opportunity to read his answers in full does everyone a disservice. That’s why we’ve decided to publish the entire interview below — so you can see exactly what he said.

Here’s our full interview with Adi Shankar.

GLHF: Tell us a little bit about Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix in your own words.

Adi Shankar: Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix heralds the advent of a new sub-genre of cyberpunk science fiction, that I've coined 'GAMEBOY-PUNK'. Drawing from a rich tapestry of influences—Saturday morning cartoons, anime, video games, and deep dystopian sci-fi literature—the series presents a morally nuanced narrative brimming with ethical conundrums and surprising twists. The series exists in a 'video-game universe'. In the world one will find power-ups, game cartridges, and familiar gaming motifs as common items.

Yet, these aren't mere nods to gaming culture; they're meticulously integrated into the TV show's narrative. One example is a dimension opening bazooka that is a tribute to the Nintendo Super Scope. In this world, video game peripherals aren't just aesthetic touches but functional elements shaping the world's design. With Captain Laserhawk, we're officially kicking off the 'GAMEBOY-PUNK' art movement.

How did you go about procuring characters for the series? Was Ubisoft easy to work with on that front?

Ubisoft was truly a dream to work with.

I was already in the midst of a collaboration with Hugo Revon, Hélène Juguet, and the team at Ubisoft Motion Picture and Television, focused on a traditional project derived from one of their games. Out of the blue, I decided to pitch them this unique idea for 'Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix'. To my delight, they were genuinely enthusiastic about it.

Encouraged by their positive reception, I produced a detailed bible for the project. It was at this juncture that Gerard Guillemot, the visionary leader heading Ubisoft's film and TV division, stepped forward with a profound commitment. He stated unequivocally, "We want to make this happen and will clear the path for you."

The very existence of this project is a testament to Ubisoft Motion Picture and Television's nurturing culture. They fostered an environment that was not only open and supportive but one where I felt truly safe. I felt seen and they created a space where I felt safe enough to bring them this unconventional pitch. Their receptiveness to my unconventional pitch was awesome, and as a collective, they excel in safeguarding artists and nurturing their creativity.

There was a lot of excitement among fans when Rayman was revealed to be the newscaster. Did you expect fans to react so strongly to the character’s inclusion?

Absolutely. Rayman stands as one of the enduring video game icons of the past three decades. I fully anticipated that his inclusion would generate excitement among fans and I knew this because putting him in this generated excitement within me. And I believe that once they witness his character arc unfold, their enthusiasm will only intensify.

Were there any Ubisoft characters that you wanted to include but couldn’t for one reason or another?

I had carte blanche. No character was off limits.

You have a long history of parodying and subverting existing properties with your Bootleg Universe, is the process any different when you’ve got an official stamp of approval from the property owner?

Even with an official stamp of approval, that rebellious, 'naughty kid getting away with it' energy remains indispensable. It's the lifeblood of my creative process. This undercurrent of subversion and playfulness, even when sanctioned, is what breathes life and uniqueness into my projects. It's more than just a stylistic choice; it's a philosophy. The essence of challenging norms and pushing boundaries is central to my process.

You’ve been able to work on projects based on a wide range of video game properties, including Castlevania, Far Cry, Devil May Cry, and more. Are you much of a gamer, and if so what have you been playing lately?

I have a deep connection to video games that stems from my upbringing. I was born in 1985, so I've witnessed the rapid evolution of this medium throughout my life, and it's been a significant part of my journey. You could say I'm plugged into gaming culture organically because of my age. I was part of the gaming community when it was still considered niche and when the graphics were still in pixels, which also adds a unique perspective to my work.

So yes, I'm very much a gamer.

Recently, I've been engrossed in two games: Prodeus and Midnight Suns. Prodeus is an awesome boomer shooter — it's an incredible fusion of the old-school FPS titles I grew up with and today's advanced technology, making it incredibly addictive. On the flip side, Midnight Suns provides a deep tactical experience, echoing games like XCOM. What draws me to it is its blend of strategy and card gameplay. It's a perfect union of two genres I've always loved.

How did your previous work on The Guardians of Justice influence Captain Laserhawk?

The visual style of Laserhawk was conceived as a heartfelt homage to the world and history of video games, intertwining various stylistic elements like pixel art and other gamer-recognized visuals.

Our first exploration into this vibrant, mixed media style was pioneered in GUARDIANS OF JUSTICE, serving as a research and development phase for what was to come.

Mehdi Leffad, the director behind every single episode of Captain Laserhawk, along with his ninja team at Bobby Pills, brilliantly refined and perfected this mixed media art style. Their innovation and expertise facilitated a smoother integration of various media styles into the series, resulting in a product that, I believe, is a polished and professional rendition of my initial vision.

While our original script drafts contained detailed descriptions of the various styles and medium transitions, I chose to step back and grant Mehdi and his team the creative liberty to steer the aesthetic direction. The outcome was beyond my expectations, superseding anything our writing team initially put to paper and seamlessly blending various visual styles into a coherent and captivating visual journey. Bobby Pills was an amazing creative partner in this process.

Cinema has had a century to develop its language, but video games are still in the process of evolving their own unique language. With this project, my goal was to harness the language of gaming to bring innovation to the language of cinema.

Where did the idea of Bullfrog come from? An anthropomorphic frog assassin is a pretty out-there idea.

The earliest genesis of Bullfrog came from my past experiences learning from three remarkable individuals: Kanye West, David Maisel, the founder of Marvel Studios, and Todd McFarlane.

When I first moved to Los Angeles in 2008 I used to cold-call Todd McFarlane. Todd was gracious enough to talk to me for hours on a pretty consistent basis, and through these chats, he shared insights and wisdom that were so profound to me that I regard him as one of my earliest mentors. I was particularly captivated by one of his creations, the "Twisted Land of Oz," which offers a hauntingly dark interpretation of "The Wizard of Oz." Although I'd previously been drawn to "alternate takes" in mainstream media through avenues like DC's Elseworlds and Marvel's "What If," directly engaging with a creator who'd personally ventured into such territory reshaped my perspective. It sowed the seeds of aspiration in me, allowing me to envision a future where I could embark on similar creative journeys.

Years later, around the time when I was in the process of pitching this to Ubisoft, I went to the grocery store with David Maisel to get a sandwich. During this outing David wisely emphasized the importance of transcending my scrappiness, suggesting that while it could be an asset, it should not be a limitation. David, who literally engineered the business apparatus around the MCU, told me to focus on the big picture and stop being so scrappy. Feeling somewhat defiant, I told him to f**k off.

In response, he took me to meet Kanye West. Kanye and I hit it off right away and he brought me on as a creative consultant for his Yeezy brand. When I visited the vast design shop, filled with myriad prototypes of the Yeezy shoes, it was a huge eye-opener. It exemplified the notion for me that one could work within the confines of a massive corporate structure and yet still push the envelope to create something unexpected and groundbreaking.

This example of an artist using the infrastructure and marketing prowess of a multinational corporation to disseminate an innovative product with a singular vision gave me the confidence to take the wild swings we took with Laserhawk. The power of that juxtaposition is embodied in Bullfrog, this disarmingly sweet yet formidable warrior, part of a huge global brand and yet distinct and original.

That contrast is the essence of Bullfrog. On the surface, he's an endearing, almost overly cute character, but delve deeper and you'll see a fierce loyalty to his allies and an unflinching devotion to the Assassin Brotherhood and their code. That vivid image was crystal clear in my mind's eye right away.

I believe the Assassin's Creed franchise is rooted in some profound truths, and those truths are embedded within the lore. For some, the idea of an Assassin frog might appear "out there," but truth has a resonance that, in my opinion, has contributed to the immense success and popularity of Assassin’s Creed, and pairing it with an unexpected character like Bullfrog lends him that resonance as well.

I'm grateful I got to bring this vision to fruition. I'm elated to see Bullfrog striking such a chord with our audience.

Finally, I didn't initially imagine Bullfrog as a French character. However, as production progressed, the distinct charm and authenticity of Balak's impromptu voice-over work brought an unexpected twist to the character. Here's how it came about: contrary to the usual sequence in animation where voices set the stage before storyboarding, we reversed the order, opting for storyboards first before finalizing our voice cast. In the absence of an early voice ensemble, Balak, the visionary creative director of our esteemed animation studio, Bobby Pills, generously provided interim voiceovers for all characters during the animatic and storyboarding sequences. When I heard Balak's interpretation of Bullfrog, it was a revelation. Immediately the character was reborn, exhibiting a vocal layer that we hadn't foreseen. From that defining juncture, not only did Balak seamlessly inhabit the role of Bullfrog, he also inadvertently crafted the character's French essence.

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