ARK: The Animated Series, releasing in 2022, will be based on the 2015 hit game ARK: Survival Evolved from Studio Wildcard. ARK: Survival Evolved remains popular, with over 35 million players worldwide on all platforms. The ARK games have a loyal and dedicated fanbase. ARK: Survival Evolved offers a refreshing twist on the survival genre, blending fantasy, sci-fi, and historical elements. Fans of the game will be happy to know that the animated television series intends to take its source material seriously and make a clear connection between the game and the show.

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The series will be directed by Jay Oliva, an experienced storyboard artist and director who has worked in the art department on big Marvel and DC Comics film adaptations like Wonder Woman, Thor: Ragnarok, Deadpool, and Batman: The Dark Knight. The storyline for the show remains a secret, but it will be set in a mysterious fantasy world where dinosaurs exist and humans from different time periods fight for survival. But what else is known about the show so far?

5 There Will Be A Lot Of Episodes

People walking in Ark II world jungle dinosaur landscape

The world of ARK offers plenty of source material and opportunities for new storylines to be explored. So it only makes sense that ARK: The Animated Series will have 22 episodes per season. Currently, there are plans for at least two seasons. Each episode will be a half-hour and inevitably packed with action, interesting conflicts, and epic battles. The world of ARK isn't exactly realistic, so the show's creators will have to take some time to explain this unique world to those uninitiated. The game is quite expansive, so if one is a completionist, it can take up to 400 hours or more to finish the standard game.

4 Vin Diesel Is Taking A Big Role

ARK II Vin Diesel fighting a monster in paleolithic outfit

It might surprise some Fast and Furious franchise fans to learn that Vin Diesel is not only the face of many good memes, but also a gamer. In fact, he's played ARK: Survival Evolved and loves the game so much that he's signed on as the President of Creative Convergence at Studio Wildcard. Diesel will executive produce both ARK II and ARK: The Animated Series.

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Diesel will be working extensively on the ARK franchise behind the scenes, but he'll be starring in the animated series as well. Diesel is the voice of Santiago, a "Mek" pilot from the future—the 24th Century, to be exact. This involvement and dedication from Diesel shows he's clearly very passionate about the franchise and wants to do justice to the IP for fans of the game. It's been confirmed that his character will crossover from ARK II to ARK: The Animated Series in a meaningful way.

3 There's An All-Star Cast

Russell Crowe, Michelle Yeoh, Gerard Butler, Elliot Page

Perhaps what is most impressive about ARK: The Animated Series is its roster of A-list talent who will be voicing the characters. There are a number of big-name actors in the show in addition to Vin Diesel. Gerard Butler voices ruthless Roman leader General Gaius Marcellus Nerva. Russell Crowe voices an "eccentric dino-whisperer" named Kor the Prophet. Michelle Yeoh voices the "Beast Queen" Meiyin Lin, a Chinese rebel leader. Former Doctor Who David Tennant voices a Victorian-era scientist Sir Edmund Rockwell. Karl Urban voices a mysterious character only known as Bob and the talented Elliot Page voices Victoria Walker, a queer humanitarian worker.

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But that's not all. Fans of Grand Theft Auto V, The Walking Dead, and Life Is Strange may recognize the voice of Cissy Jones. She's voicing The Gladiatrix, a commander who's working with Gerard Butler's character. And fans of the show Vikings will appreciate that Ragga Ragnars will be the Viking Queen Sigrid. The prolific Alan Tudyk from Firefly, Rogue One, A Knight's Tale, and more is voicing the pirate only known as Captain. From all of this, we now know there will be ancient Romans, pirates, Vikings, evil scientists, prophets, and rebel leaders in the show. Now that's an impressive array of characters.

2 The Show Melds Time

Girl in front of a rock with carvings on it ARK II

The ARK: Survival Evolved YouTube channel released a trailer for the upcoming show on December 11, 2020. In the video, "'ARK: The Animated Series' Extended Length Trailer," members of the voice acting cast talk about death, life, and human history as animations and illustrations of different periods of human history move across the screen. There are allusions to European, Asian, and Native American histories, as well as references to an industrial revolution, scientific discovery, and occult magic.

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The ARK animated series will show technology from many different cultures and time periods throughout human history. This stays true to the game, which offers weapons ranging from paleolithic spears to chainsaws and rocket launchers. Characters in the show will be equipped with a wide variety of different tools, based on their own backgrounds, time periods, and wealth. There is an emphasis on survival in this wilderness landscape, but there are clearly sci-fi elements at play here as well. Historical figures have been resurrected to raise armies and fight others.

1 There is a Female Protagonist

Helena Walker Ark The Animated Series with a bow and arrow riding a dinosaur

Halfway through the trailer, there's an abrupt change. After seeing the references to different time periods, we jump into what the show will look like. It has a 2D animation aesthetic and an epic tropical battle between a woman riding a dinosaur and a man in medieval armor who is also riding a dinosaur.

She has a bow and arrow and he has a pike, and she ends up winning the fight in a surprising turn of events when she is able to use her arrow as a knife to defeat the man in armor. This woman is our protagonist Helena Walker, voiced by Madeleine Madden.

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