#Robert Downey Jr. Shares Sneak Peek at Netflix’s Sweet Tooth

Having played Marvel hero Iron Man for the last decade or so, actor and Hollywood icon Robert Downey Jr. has made the jump to DC for Netflix’s upcoming post-apocalyptic series, Sweet Tooth. Now, the actor, who is executive producing the series alongside Susan Downey, has offered some insight into their approach adapting Jeff Lemire’s sweeping epic, why they felt they needed to make certain changes, and what attracted him to the project in the first place.

“We heard there was this great graphic novel series. And it just had this incredible emotional breadth of the storytelling.”

Despite the Netflix adaptation deeming it necessary to make some changes from the source material, most notably adding several new characters and giving the show a much lighter tone than expected, Robert Downey Jr.. assures fans that it will stay true to what made Lemire’s story so great.

“As we’re starting to see the dailies, I’m like “this is seamless.” Like the novel just continued on.”

Addressing the lighter tone, Susan Downey said, “We felt we could really hold on to the themes but make it a more enjoyable place. I just hope people have the experience that we get to have with our kids where we cuddle up on the couch and all watch it together.” No doubt fans of the original Sweet Tooth will have some thoughts about this…

Sweet Tooth writer and creator Lemire himself though has applauded the changes made by Netflix saying, “Some of the best parts of the show are some of the new characters. To see something that you created in a sketchbook walking in front of you on a film set – it’s wonderful.”

Based on the DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint comic book series of the same name by Jeff Lemire, which originally ran for 40 issues from 2009-2013, Sweet Tooth picks up in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by human-animal hybrids. Ten years ago ‘The Great Crumble’ wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids – babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them.

After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a sheltered hybrid deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) unexpectedly befriends a wandering loner named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Together they set out on an extraordinary adventure across what’s left of America in search of answers- about Gus’ origins, Jepperd’s past, and the true meaning of home. But their story is full of unexpected allies and enemies, and Gus quickly learns the lush, dangerous world outside the forest is more complex than he ever could have imagined.

Led by Christian Convery as main character and deer-boy, Gus, and Nonso Anozie as his Gus’ unlikely protector, Tommy Jepperd, the series will star an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Adeel Akhtar as Dr. Singh, Will Forte as Gus’ father, Dania Ramirez as Aimee, Neil Sandilands as General Steven Abbot, Stefania LaVie Owen as Bear, and Aliza Vellani as Rani Singh. The series is also set to be narrated by Hollywood icon James Brolin. Created for the screen by Jim Mickle, Sweet Tooth will stream on Netflix from June 4, 2021.