Wizards: Tales of Arcadia

Did You Know?

• Hisirdoux 'Douxie' Casperan had secretly been the apprentice of Merlin for nine centuries.
• The series was initially set to be released in 2019 but was postponed to August 7, 2020.
• It was followed by a full-length feature film titled Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, released on July 21, 2021.

Reception

The series holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Guillermo del Toro, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia ranked in the Top Ten most streamed series worldwide on Netflix during its premiere week, drawing more viewers than all other live-action and animated content at that time. Screen Rant reported that Wizards was rated the best new Netflix Original Kids' Series released in 2020, according to IMDb. Drew Taylor of Collider noted that everything about the world is fully realized with incredible detail, and as the culmination of the franchise so far, it is hard to top. John Serba of The New York Post, writing for Decider, stated that the show excels in classical myths reimagined with modern sensibilities, with vivid animation, crisp comedy, and a muscular but not too heavy sense of drama, and that del Toro's hand guides the series into creative avenues without ever being off the rails. Alci Rengifo of Entertainment Voice gave a positive review, saying del Toro wants everyone, even adults, to get something out of Wizards, making it an adventure worth taking like any great fairy tale. Rafael Motamayor of The Observer applauded the series for its bold deconstruction of Arthurian myth, which it uses to explore difficult themes such as prejudice, ideological war, and racism, comparing it to del Toro's films like The Shape of Water. In 2021, Wizards won the Kidscreen Award for Best New Series, a category including all live-action and animated programming that year. It was nominated for four Emmys, including Outstanding Children's Animated Series, and won Outstanding Main Title for a Daytime Animated Program. It was also nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing, and received an Annie Award in the category of Best Voice Acting and a nomination in Best FX.