#‘Twisted Metal,’ Starring Anthony Mackie, Coming to Paramount+ in Canada

Paramount+ has acquired action-comedy series Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie, for Canada in a deal with producer Sony Pictures Television (SPT).

All 10 episodes of the live-action adaptation of the PlayStation classic game series, which is set to debut in the U.S. on NBCUniversal streamer Peacock late this month, will premiere in Canada exclusively on Paramount Global’s Paramount+ on Aug. 10. Paramount+ will also launch the series “in other international territories to be announced at a later date,” the partners said on Thursday without detailing any of those markets.

The series from SPT is based on an original take by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool, Zombieland) and written by Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai). Mackie (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) stars as motor-mouthed outsider John Doe who is offered a chance at a better life if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. “With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown named Sweet Tooth who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck,” according to the plot description.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine Nine, Encanto) portrays Quiet, with Joe Seanoa, the AEW wrestler known as Samoa Joe, starring as Sweet Tooth, voiced by Will Arnett (Arrested Development, The Lego Movie). Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man: No Way Home) is also part of the big-name cast. Series guest stars include Neve Campbell (Scream), Richard Cabral (Mayans M.C.), Mike Mitchell (Love, The Tomorrow War), Tahj Vaughans (The Purge), and Lou Beatty Jr. (Finding Normal). Mackie also serves as an executive producer.

“Twisted Metal delivers high-octane blockbuster summer movie energy episode after episode,” said Doug Craig, senior vp of content strategy and acquisitions at Paramount+. “From top to bottom, this series is a wild ride that delivers with talent and story that showcases the premium content Paramount+ viewers can expect from the service.”

Twisted Metal is produced by SPT, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television, and is distributed globally by SPT.