Sharpen your blade and brush the dirt off that hunk of meat on the ground, because Paramount is giving Sega‘s classic side-scrolling action-adventure game, Golden Axe, the animated series treatment! This morning, a hilarious, blood-soaked trailer for Golden Axe debuted, giving fans their first look at the adaptation from its co-creators Mike McMahan (Star Trek: Lower Decks, Solar Opposites) and Joe Chandler (American Dad, Napoleon Dynamite animated show).
Sega’s Arcade Classic Gets the R-Rated Comedy Treatment
Developed by Team Shinobi and released in 1989, Golden Axe debuted in arcades before being ported to home consoles, beginning with the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. The game revolves around three heroes: the barbarian warrior Ax Battler, Tyris Flare, the one-woman-army Amazon, and Gilius Thunderhead, a dwarf from the mines of Would who seeks revenge for his fallen brother. Throughout the 16-bit adventure, the trio carves through the fantasy land of Yuria to find and vanquish Death Adder, a hulking warrior who wields the legendary Golden Axe.
The new trailer teases a more comedic approach to the source material, though there are plenty of Easter eggs, classic sound effects, and familiar carnage to send a rush of nostalgia through your veins.
“We’re going to do what we do best,” Tyris declares before laying the groundwork of their mission: “Face a series of progressively harder enemies until we have a big final battle with Death Adder. And then we kill him for good.” This kind of dialogue is giving Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves vibes, and I am here for it.
Assemble the Party: Meet the Voice Cast
- Matthew Rhys (The Americans) voices Gilius Thunderhead, a battle-hardened dwarf carrying a massive chip on his shoulder, a serious need for a bath, and a burning desire to avenge his brother.
- Twisted Metal’s Lisa Gilroy plays Tyris Flare, an absolute powerhouse Amazon whose razor-sharp wit is just as lethal as her combat skills.
- Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) steps in as Ax Battler, a noble barbarian who balances his strict warrior honor with the endearing energy of a giant golden retriever.
- Rounding out the party is Community’s Danny Pudi as Hampton Squib—a wide-eyed, completely out-of-his-depth rookie who has spent his entire life dreaming of high-fantasy adventure, only to realize he’s WAY over his head.
The story’s thrust centers around Gilius, Ax, and Tyris, who long to kill the elusive Death Adder. Their mission is complicated by Hampton’s arrival, as his insistence on joining their party slows their progress while trying to show him the ropes and keep him alive.
Golden Axe will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ starting on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
As an old-school fan of the game series, I can’t wait to check this out. I recently played the original arcade game at Ground Kontrol in Portland, and it still holds up! With plenty of humor, blood, and Easter eggs to discover, Golden Axe looks like an animated series made with the fans in mind. Let’s hop aboard a Chicken Leg and ride into battle!
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