Big Hero 6: The Series
Big Hero 6: The Series is an American superhero comedy[1] animated television series, produced by Disney Television Animation and developed by Buzz Lightyear of Star Command & Kim Possible creators Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley. The series is based on Disney's 2014 film Big Hero 6, which itself is loosely based on the comic book series Big Hero 6 published by Marvel Comics. The series is a sequel as it takes place after the events of the film and uses traditional hand-drawn animation.[2][3] It premiered with a 43-minute episode titled "Baymax Returns" on Disney XD on November 20, 2017. In 2018, the series was moved from Disney XD to Disney Channel before the series premiere. The series formally premiered with two new episodes on Disney Channel on June 9, 2018.[4]
| Big Hero 6: The Series | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Superhero Action Science fiction |
| Based on | Big Hero 6 by Walt Disney Animation Studios |
| Developed by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Voices of | |
| Composer(s) | Adam Berry |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 46 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Bob Schooley Mark McCorkle Nick Filippi |
| Running time | 23 minutes 45 minutes (special episodes) 11 minutes (season 3) |
| Production company(s) | Disney Television Animation |
| Release | |
| Original network | Disney XD (2017, 2019-present) Disney Channel (2018-19) |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV |
| Audio format | Dolby Surround 5.1 |
| Original release | November 20, 2017 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The second season premiered on May 6, 2019 with a third season confirmed prior.[5]
On August 13, 2020, it was announced that the third season will premiere on September 21, 2020 on Disney XD.[6] The episodes will also now be 11-minutes long rather than 22-minutes long.
Plot
The series is set after the events of the feature film Big Hero 6 and continues the adventures of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro Hamada and the compassionate, cutting-edge robot Baymax created by his late brother Tadashi. Along with his friends Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Go Go and Fred, they form the superhero team Big Hero 6 and embark on high-tech adventures as they protect their city from an array of scientifically enhanced villains. Hiro also faces academic challenges and social trials as the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology (SFIT).
The show slightly contradicts the ending of the movie. Among the differences are Aunt Cass knowing about Baymax, and Hiro attending SFIT as if everything is back to normal (and though a building is erected after Tadashi, Hiro does not receive a grant from the Institute). Hiro also doesn't come up with the name "Big Hero 6" like it is implied at the end of the movie. Instead, Fred comes up with the name after having "brainstormed an epic list of team names" and testing them with himself.
Cast and characters
- Ryan Potter as Hiro Hamada,[7] a 14-year-old robotics prodigy whose older brother Tadashi Hamada was killed in an explosion at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology (SFIT) and member of Big Hero 6; he serves as the team's unofficial leader. He wears a suit for protection and to hide his identity when he flies on Baymax.
- Scott Adsit as Baymax,[7] an inflatable robot originally built by Tadashi as a medical assistant, but reprogrammed by Hiro to also use martial arts as a member of Big Hero 6; he wears a suit of armor with a jetpack and wings.
- Jamie Chung as Go Go Tomago,[8] a tough, athletic student at SFIT and member of Big Hero 6 who specializes in electromagnetics; she uses two large discs as wheels/skates when in action, and also uses smaller discs as weapons.
- Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon,[7] a bubbly and optimistic student at SFIT (and Part-Time Student at SFAI or San Fransokyo Art Institute), chemistry enthusiast, and member of Big Hero 6; she uses 'chem-balls' that produce a variety of effects.
- Khary Payton as Wasabi,[7] a smart, slightly neurotic student at SFIT and member of Big Hero 6 who specializes in lasers, and has two laser-like blades on his arms when in action. He appreciates order and control in his life and work environment. Wasabi was previously voiced by Damon Wayans Jr. in the film.
- Brooks Wheelan as Fred,[7] a comic book fan and slacker who is also team mascot at SFIT and member of Big Hero 6, with reptilian super-suits (one gives the appearance of a lizard-like monster, the other is chameleon-like); he lives in a large mansion. Fred was previously voiced by T.J. Miller in the film.
- Maya Rudolph as Aunt Cass,[7] Hiro and Tadashi's aunt and guardian. She is obsessed with cooking new and strange dishes and is oblivious to Hiro's double life, as Hiro knows that she will “never let him out of the house” if he reveals this information.
- David Shaughnessy as Heathcliff,[7] Fred's family butler, who assists the team in their training efforts.
- Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei,[7] a pioneer entrepreneur and CEO of Krei Tech. He is revealed to know Big Hero 6's secret identities after they saved his life in the film.
Development and production
In March 2016, Disney announced that a Big Hero 6 television series was in development and premiered on Disney Channel in 2017. The series takes place immediately after the events of the film and is created by Kim Possible's Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley, and executive produced by McCorkle, Schooley and Nick Filippi.[2] The show was reportedly pitched by McCorkle and Schooley shortly following the film's release.[9] Talking to Leonard Maltin for the podcast Maltin on Movies, Scott Adsit suggested an early 2018 release date.[10]
In March 2016, it was revealed that Jamie Chung would reprise her role as Go Go,[8] and that following November, it was revealed that most of the cast members from the film would reprise their roles, including Ryan Potter, Genesis Rodriguez, Scott Adsit, Alan Tudyk, and Maya Rudolph. Additionally, Khary Payton replaced Damon Wayans Jr. as Wasabi and Brooks Wheelan replaced T. J. Miller as Fred.[7] On January 6, 2017, Disney Channel released an official teaser trailer for the series.[11]
On March 14, 2017, it was renewed for a second season, ahead of the series premiere.[12]
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 22 | November 20, 2017 | October 13, 2018 | ||
| 2 | 24 | 13 | May 6, 2019 | September 5, 2019 | |
| 11 | September 6, 2019 | February 8, 2020 | |||
| 3 | TBA | September 21, 2020 | TBA | ||
Home media
| Season | Episodes | Release dates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | |||||
| 1 | 2017–18 | 22 | Volume 1: Back in Action: June 26, 2018 Episode(s): "Baymax Returns" – "Failure Mode" | ||
| Special features | |||||
| Back in Action (Region 1): All six "Baymax and" shorts | |||||
Broadcast
Baymax Returns premiered on Disney Channel channels in Canada on November 20, 2017 and in the UK and Ireland on November 30, 2017.[13]
The series formally premieres with two new episodes on Disney Channel on June 9, 2018, followed by two more new episodes on June 10, 2018, with weekly premieres every Saturday through September starting on June 16, 2018 with episodes airing at 7 a.m. starting on September 8.[4]
Starting on May 6, episodes of the second season aired on weekdays at 3:30. Starting on September 3, 2019, first-run premieres will air on Disney XD weekdays at 7:30 a.m. Premieres on Disney Channel will air second-run weekdays at 3:30.
The series is also available on Disney's streaming service, Disney+.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Annie Award | Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production | Mark Taihei, Ben Plouffe, Chris Whittier, Sylvia Filcak, Amy Chen | Nominated | [14] |
| 70th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Animated Program | "Baymax Returns" | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | 46th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Sound Editing for an Animated Program | Robert Poole II, Robbi Smith, David Bonilla, Rich Danhakl and J Lampinen | Nominated | |
| Annie Award | Outstanding Editorial team in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production | Charles Jones, Joe Molinari, Dao Le, Vartan Nazarian, David Vazquez | Won | [15] | |
| 2020 | Annie Award | Best Editorial in TV/Media | Dao Le, Joe Molinari, Charles T. Jones, David Vasquez (for Prey Date) | Nominated | |
| 47th Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing Program for an Animated Series | Nominated | [16][17] | ||
| Outstanding Original Song in a Children's, Young Adult, or Animated Program | "Gonna Go Good" | Nominated | [16] | ||
Comic book series
A comic book series based on Big Hero 6: The Series was announced to be published by IDW Publishing, making it one of the few times Marvel Comics has allowed another comic book company use their characters. The comic book series was initially titled after the film and set to be released in July 2018 from Hannah Blumenreich (writer) and Nicoletta Baldari (artist).[18] However, the release kept getting pushed back. Since then, the comic has been retitled after the show and was released in April 2019 with Blumenreich and Baldari still attached.[19]
References
- Haasch, Palmer (July 21, 2018). "Every 2018 San Diego Comic-Con panel you want to watch out for". Polygon. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- Sandberg, Byrn Elise (March 2, 2016). "'Big Hero 6' TV Series Set for Disney Channel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- Schooley, Bob (March 2, 2016). "For those asking, the new show is a return to our Kim Possible roots in a lot of ways, including gorgeous traditional animation". Twitter. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- Hmmert, Kylie (April 24, 2018). "Big Hero 6: The Series Launching June 9 on Disney Channel!". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- Petski, Denise (April 16, 2019). "'Big Hero 6 The Series' Renewed For Season 3 By Disney Channel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- ""Season Three of the Emmy(R) Award-Nominated "Big Hero 6 the Series" Premieres Monday, Sept. 21, on Disney XD and DisneyNOW". The Futon Critic. August 13, 2020.
- "'Big Hero 6': Maya Rudolph & More Reprise Roles for Disney Channel Animated Series". Deadline Hollywood. November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- Petski, Denise (March 3, 2016). "'Miranda's Rights': Jamie Chung & John Gabriel join NBC Legal Soap". Deadline Hollywood.
Chung recurs as Mulan in Once Upon A Time and will next reprise her Big Hero 6 voice role of Go Go in Big Hero 6: The Series for Disney Channel.
- @DisneyTVA (August 7, 2018). "Disfact: Bob & Mark started to pitch #BigHero6TheSeries after the release of the movie on 2014" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Scott Adsit, Maltin on Movies, February 17, 2017.
- Fitzpatrick, Kevin (January 6, 2017). "'Big Hero 6' Animated Series Eyes Fall Premiere in First Teaser". Screen Crush. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- "Big Hero 6: The Series gets second-season order". KidScreen. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
- Brett, Susan (November 21, 2017). "Baymax returns in new Big Hero 6: The Series Special images". TV Guide UK. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
- "Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production". Annie Awards. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- "Outstanding Editorial team in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production". [Annie Awards]]. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- Milligan, Mercedes (May 21, 2020). "Daytime Emmy Nominees: 'Elena of Avalor,' 'Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure' Lead Toon Contenders". Animation Magazine.
- https://www.animationmagazine.net/events/daytime-emmy-awards-dragon-prince-ask-the-storybots-last-kids-on-earth-win-key-animation-categories-for-netflix/
- Beat Staff (April 9, 2018). "C2E2 '18: IDW's summer line up includes new BIG HERO 6 comic and RICK AND MORTY/D&D crossover". Comics Beat. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- Johnston, Rich (January 25, 2019). "IDW April 2019 Solicits Launches Dick Tracy Forever #1 by Michael Avon Oeming". Bleeding Cool News. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
