Abominable and the Invisible City

Lore & Background

The series chronicles Yi, Jin, and Peng as they discover that their city and beyond are filled with magical creatures needing help, aided by their yeti friend Everest. Chloe Bennet reprises her role as Yi and also serves as consulting producer. Tenzing Norgay Trainor returns as Jin, and Ethan Loh voices Peng, replacing Albert Tsai from the film. Darin De Paul voices Everest, replacing Joseph Izzo, while Alan Cumming voices Burnish, replacing Eddie Izzard. Michelle Wong and Karen Huie voice Mei and Nai Nai, respectively. The show was executive produced by Jim Schumann and Katherine Nolfi, with Tiffany Lo and Ethel Lung as story editors. Animation services were provided by CGCG.

Reader's Guide

Abominable and the Invisible City extends the story of the 2019 film, focusing on the trio's ongoing encounters with magical creatures. The series was ordered by Peacock on February 11, 2022, and ran for two seasons. Its first episode, 'Everest Returns,' won the Annie Award for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Children at the 50th Annie Awards. The show aired internationally on various channels including DreamWorks Channel Asia, Family Channel in Canada, and Sky Kids in the United Kingdom. The series is significant for continuing the narrative of the film while introducing new voice actors for several key roles.

Did You Know?

• The series premiered on October 10, 2022, on Peacock and Hulu.
• Chloe Bennet reprised her role as Yi and also served as consulting producer.
• Alan Cumming voiced Burnish, replacing Eddie Izzard from the film.

Continuing Yi's Journey into the Mythical

After the 2019 DreamWorks film Abominable—co-produced with Pearl Studio—left audiences with the revelation of a hidden world of magical creatures beyond Mount Everest, the 2022 animated series Abominable and the Invisible City picked up where the movie ended. Yi, Jin, and Peng now understand that their everyday surroundings are actually alive with fantastical beings who need their protection and guidance. Together with their yeti companion Everest, the trio embarks on adventures across their city and far beyond, forming what is essentially a Creature Brigade dedicated to helping these mythical inhabitants. Yi serves as the group's headstrong and empathetic leader, also showcasing her talent as a violinist, while Jin balances his aspirations toward medical school with his growing passion for creature studies—a passion that ultimately supersedes his original career goal by the second season. Peng brings mischievous, fun-loving energy to every mission. The series spans two seasons, with the second and final one concluding the group's ongoing exploration of this hidden magical ecosystem.

Voice Cast and Notable Changes

The series retained several key performers from the original film while making significant casting decisions for other roles. Chloe Bennet returned as Yi and additionally stepped into a consulting producer position, giving her a creative voice behind the scenes. Tenzing Norgay Trainor reprised Jin, and Michelle Wong voiced Yi's mother Mei. However, three major roles saw new voice talent: Ethan Loh took over Peng from Albert Tsai, Darin De Paul replaced Joseph Izzo as Everest (whose singing in the film had been handled by composer Rupert Gregson-Williams), and Alan Cumming assumed the role of Burnish, the elderly billionaire head of Burnish Industries and former antagonist, from Eddie Izzard. Karen Huie also replaced Tsai Chin as Nai Nai, Yi's maternal grandmother. A supporting cast including Vic Chao, Stephanie Sheh, Caleb Yen, Natalie Chan, Donald Chang, Kara Wang, and Harrison Xu filled out the remaining roles, ensuring the show maintained a rich ensemble of voices across its two seasons.

Production and Creative Origins

DreamWorks Animation Television developed the series, with Peacock officially ordering the CG animated project on February 11, 2022. Executive production fell to Jim Schumann and Katherine Nolfi, both of whom had previously worked on Spirit Riding Free, bringing a track record of family-oriented animated storytelling to the project. Story editors Tiffany Lo and Ethel Lung played a particularly personal creative role: having grown up hearing folk tales about magical creatures, they drew directly on those childhood imaginings to design the show's fantastical inhabitants, essentially translating stories they had internalized as kids into visual form. Animation services were handled by CGCG, the studio behind Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, rather than Technicolor Animation Productions. Chloe Bennet's involvement extended beyond voice work, as her consulting producer role allowed her to influence the show's direction. The result was a production that blended established DreamWorks pipeline expertise with the personal, story-driven sensibility of its creative team.

Release, Global Reach, and Critical Recognition

Abominable and the Invisible City debuted on October 5, 2022, delivering ten episodes simultaneously on both Peacock and Hulu in the United States. The second and final season followed on March 29, 2023, completing the series' narrative arc. Beyond North American streaming, the show achieved a remarkably wide international footprint throughout 2023. It aired on DreamWorks Channel Asia, found a home on PIE Channel in the Philippines (premiering there on September 11, 2023), and reached audiences in Canada via Family Channel, the United Kingdom through Sky Kids and Sky Showcase, Italy on Rai Gulp, Spain on Clan, Portugal on Canal Panda, France on Canal+ Kids, Belgium on La Trois, Switzerland on RTS 1, Germany on Super RTL, and South Africa on e.tv. On the awards front, the series earned significant recognition when its opening episode, "Everest Returns," took home the Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Children trophy at the 50th Annie Awards, validating the show's quality within the broader animated television landscape.