Motorcity (TV series)

Did You Know?

• Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the show 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as 'too dark and intense for young kids' but praising its social messages.
• The series was cancelled after one season partly due to Disney moving it around different time slots and airing episodes out of order.
• The showrunners were able to finish production in time, producing a two-part series finale.

Synopsis

Motorcity takes place in a fictional futuristic Detroit called Detroit Deluxe, an elevated metropolis owned by evil billionaire Abraham Kane. Kane enforces strict laws banning personal freedoms, including automobile transportation. A group of hot-rod-wielding rebels known as the Burners, led by Kane's former cadet Mike Chilton, rise to stop him from conquering the underground refuge of Motorcity, the last oasis of freedom.

Characters

Mike Chilton, voiced by Reid Scott, is the quick-witted, reckless leader of the Burners and a former cadet of Kane. Chuck, voiced by Nate Torrence, is Mike's best friend and the Burners' cowardly computer expert. Julie, voiced by Kate Micucci, is the infiltration expert and inside connection to KaneCo; Kane is her father, though she opposes his tyranny. Dutch, voiced by Kel Mitchell, is the creative technological genius and a graffiti artist who came to Motorcity to escape Kane. R.O.T.H. is Dutch's robot assistant, originally one of Kane's attack bots until Dutch reprogrammed him. Texas, voiced by Jess Harnell, is a violent, gung-ho member who wishes to lead the Burners but never questions Mike's authority. Jacob, voiced by Brian Doyle-Murray, is a hippie biker in his mid-sixties and Kane's former partner, with scientific knowledge buried under organic food talk. Claire, voiced by Dana Davis, is a valley girl and Julie's best friend and confidant. Dr. Hudson, voiced by Jim Cummings, is a scientist forced to make a supercharged power cell. Rayon, voiced by Bumper Robinson, leads a gang called the Skylarks. Darr, voiced by Roshon Fegan, is Dutch's brother and a former cadet. Tennie, voiced by Aimee Garcia, is an engineer and Dutch's love interest. Foxy, voiced by Jennifer Hale, leads the Amazons, an all-girl gang.

Production

Chris Prynoski conceived the idea for Motorcity in the early 1990s while working at MTV, inspired by The Dukes of Hazzard and Star Wars. Development began around 1999 but was shelved after a trailer was made. A pilot was screened in March 2010. Eric Coleman, who had liked the pitch at Nickelodeon, later asked Prynoski about the project after joining Disney, leading to a partnership with Disney Television Animation. Production began in October of that year with about 80 people, including art director Antonio Canobbio, show director Juno Lee, vehicle designer Brandon Cuellar, and concept designer Robert Valley. The first season was planned for 20 episodes. Animation combined 2D and 3D elements using Adobe Flash, Autodesk Maya, and Adobe Photoshop; Nepal-based Incessant Rain provided visual effects. Titmouse created Facinator, a custom plug-in for Flash to manipulate 2D rigged head models.

Marketing and broadcast

Motorcity was originally scheduled for fall 2011 but was delayed to winter 2012 and then to April. Disney promoted the series with Stephan Verdier competing in the Global RallyCross Championship in a Hyundai Veloster. A mobile game, Motorcity: Drive, was released on March 26, 2012, for iTunes and Disney XD's website. The series debuted on Disney XD on April 30, 2012, and later on iTunes in HD. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2012, producers showed clips from new episodes. The series premiered in Canada on May 26, and in Latin American countries on Disney Channel on September 16, 2023. All episodes were made available on Disney+ Hotstar in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand on January 1, 2022.