Daniel Mercer
In 2023, CBS made a significant announcement regarding its upcoming animated series: an adaptation of Innersloth’s wildly popular 2018 space murder mystery game, Among Us. Fast forward three years, and the show’s impressive lineup of Hollywood talent convened at Summer Game Fest, leading to the unexpected release of all 10 episodes on Paramount+.
Among Us, animated by Titmouse (Star Trek: Lower Decks), follows a group of monochromatic crewmates aboard a spacecraft transporting junk across the cosmos. Among their ranks lurks an alien, eliminating them one by one. The challenge for the crewmates is to collaborate and deduce who among them is the imposter before they are all picked off.
Before the premiere of Among Us, we had a conversation with showrunner Owen Dennis (Infinity Train) about the intriguing selection process for the cast, as well as his approach to adapting a video game into a television series nearly a decade after its rise to global fame.
Among Us boasts an exceptionally talented cast, featuring actors from various video games, animated series, and comedy backgrounds. The lineup includes Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) as Orange, Kimiko Glenn (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) as Cyan, Liv Hewson (Yellowjackets) as Black, Ashley Johnson (The Last Of Us) as Purple, Wayne Knight (Seinfeld) as Lime, Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack) as Brown, Randall Park (Blue Eye Samurai) as Red, Dan Stevens (Solar Opposites) as Blue, Debra Wilson (Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots) as Yellow and Computer, Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) as Green, and Patton Oswalt (Goat) as White. Assembling the ideal group to bring these tiny jellybean-like crewmates to life presented a considerable challenge for Dennis.
“One of the tricky aspects of casting Among Us is that all the characters essentially look alike. They wear different outfits, but their appearances are quite similar. So, [we needed to] it’s crucial that each voice distinctly represents a different character,” Dennis stated. “Since there’s no mouth movement or facial expressions, when a character is speaking, the audience must be able to identify who is talking without seeing their mouth move.”
He added: “It was vital for us to cast actors who excel in conveying emotions through comedy, drama, or any direction we require. Their voices needed to be unique enough for me to instantly recognize who is speaking at any moment.”
Although the criteria for selecting a cast that could successfully portray the vibrant jellybean characters were clear, Dennis confessed that the process was still challenging. He expressed gratitude for the talented cast they ultimately assembled.
“When we finalized our casting, everything felt quite natural and positive. I’m extremely pleased with our selection,” he shared.
With the announcement of the show occurring three years post the game’s peak during the pandemic, alongside a plethora of internet memes ingrained in popular culture, many fans might worry that the CBS adaptation could become outdated. The prolonged silence since 2023, culminating in a surprise drop, likely heightened anxiety for fans who had nearly forgotten about the series’ development until this unexpected reveal.
When asked if he or the writers’ team felt concerned that Among Us‘ cultural relevance had diminished—and whether that concern influenced their approach to creating a show that was timely rather than rooted in 2020—Dennis remained unfazed, emphasizing that he focused on his responsibilities without being swayed by external opinions. His primary goal was to “create an animated series based on this video game that is meant to be entertaining.” He elaborated on his philosophy, which any showrunner adapting a video game would do well to heed.
“Comedies are inherently products of their time. All forms of media reflect the period in which they are created. While some may aspire to craft something timeless, every work is undeniably influenced by its era. what can make a piece distinctly time-bound is the reliance on referential humor. Such references often fall flat, as they lack true comedic value. They merely consist of acknowledging something familiar, rather than providing genuine humor.”
Dennis ensured that Among Us would not rely on referential humor. Instead, the series aims to develop jokes that align with the characters, scenarios, and comedic style, deliberately avoiding “specific references or anything of that nature.” Dennis also pointed out that incorporating contemporary pop culture references in animated shows like Among Us is ultimately unwise.
“Animation is a lengthy process. If you attempted to include a current pop culture reference, by the time it aired, it would already feel outdated,” he explained.
“I want [Among Us] to be self-sufficient. It’s crucial that an adaptation resonates with the original fans while also standing independently, free from any need to understand prior works or the surrounding meta-narrative. It must exist as its own entity. Achieving this is essential; failing to do so results in something that feels disjointed, hollow, and strange. I would dislike working on a project like that.”
All 10 episodes of Among Us are now available for streaming on Paramount+.
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Brandon Fletcher
