The Cuphead Show!
An animated series based on the video game Cuphead.
Chad & Jared Moldenhauer · via Wikipedia: The Cuphead Show! · Public domain
The Cuphead Show! is an animated slapstick comedy television series developed by Dave Wasson for Netflix, based on the 2017 video game Cuphead by Studio MDHR. It premiered on February 18, 2022, and ran for three seasons, concluding on November 18, 2022. The series follows the misadventures of Cuphead and Mugman, anthropomorphic cup brothers, in a 1930s-style world.
- Creator
- Dave Wasson
- Network
- Netflix
- First season release
- February 18, 2022
- Final season release
- November 18, 2022
- Number of seasons
- 3
- Total episodes
- 36
- Genre
- Animated slapstick comedy
Lore & Background
The Cuphead Show! was green-lit by Netflix in July 2019, with Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, creators of the Cuphead game, serving as executive producers alongside Dave Wasson, CJ Kettler, and Cosmo Segurson as co-executive producer. The series was animated by Lighthouse Studios, a division between Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon, with stop motion provided by Screen Novelties. To meet streaming deadlines, the production used puppet-based animation rather than hand-drawn methods, while incorporating elements of the 1930s rubber hose style. The music was composed by Ego Plum.
The show is set in the Inkwell Isles and follows Cuphead and Mugman, who live with their grandfather Elder Kettle. Episodes are largely episodic, with a recurring plot involving the Devil hunting Cuphead for his soul after a game of 'Soul Ball'. The voice cast includes Tru Valentino as Cuphead, Frank Todaro as Mugman, and Luke Millington-Drake as the Devil, among others.
Reader's Guide
The Cuphead Show! received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, voice acting, music, humor, and tone, though some felt it lacked substance and criticized the plots as fragmented and repetitive. On Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of 16 critics gave the first season a positive review, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The series generated significant viewership on Netflix, accumulating 47.29 million hours of viewing time between February 13 and March 6, 2022, and ranking fourth among Netflix's Top 10 Most Popular Kids' Shows and Movies globally in 2022. Its release led to increased sales of the Cuphead video game, according to the Moldenhauer brothers. In June 2024, fans launched a '#RenewTheCupheadShow' campaign advocating for the series' return.
Did You Know?
- The series was developed by Dave Wasson and executive produced by the creators of the Cuphead game, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer.
- The show used puppet-based animation instead of hand-drawn animation to meet streaming deadlines.
- The Cuphead Show! was viewed for 14.6 million hours on Netflix during the week of February 14–20, 2022.
- In June 2024, fans launched a '#RenewTheCupheadShow' social media campaign to advocate for the series' return.
More in Characters & Bosses
Elsewhere in Cuphead
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