Was 'Son Of Zorn' Based On A Comic?

Of all the new series premiering in fall 2016, Son of Zorn looks like the most unconventional. The series, which places a Jason Sudeikis-voiced cartoon warrior from another world into contemporary Los Angeles, is a mix between genres the same way it mixes animation and live action filmmaking. But, even though the animation may look like its based on an established character, Son of Zorn is not based on a comic book — it's completely original. Unlike series such as Lethal Weapon, The Exorcist, or MacGyver, Son of Zorn isn't based on some old movie or a defunct TV show, and there's no comic book where you'll find the central character. However, that doesn't mean that the series is devoid of inspirations, just that it's not really based on any one property.

Like the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Son of Zorn is about a world where cartoons coexist in the real world. Like the film's Toontown, Zorn hails from his own, all-animated world, where his customs of riding on a giant griffin or using his sword to solve HR problems is common. But he's forced to make his way in the normal human world as an effort to be more connected to his son and make amends with his ex-wife. It's less manic, zany, and inventive than Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it was cited as a visual influence by executive producer and co-creator Reed Agnew at the Television Critics Association, according to SlashFilm. "In that movie, you buy that in this world, Toontown exists. Everyone in Hollywood has an awareness that cartoon characters are just actors. I think audiences can take that leap," he said.

According to Inverse, another influence is He-Man and the Masters of the Universe , which clearly inspired Zorn's world, which is a location on Earth, rather than a different planet, and the way it looks. Sudeikis' performance isn't quite as much of a straightforward hero as He-Man, nor has Son of Zorn introduced a villain as memorably strange as Skeletor just yet, but since Zephyria is a whole nation unto itself, there's plenty of room for there to be more characters added and to learn more about Zorn's past. Other cheesy series like Thundercats or the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film also have similarities with Zorn. But, and this might be surprising, according to the TCA panel, producer Eric Appel called Harry Potter an influence as well, according to IGN. "It's almost like the world of Harry Potter," he said. "It's the real world, but it exists in this world of wizards and stuff, and there are people that have a knowledge of that."

So there you have it — it might not be a comic book or old movie that Son of Zorn is directly based on, but it's certainly inspired by some old properties — making it a perfect mix of old and new.

Image: FOX