On Disney XD’s newest series, Future-Worm, the life of optimistic 12-year-old Danny (Andy Milonakis), changes forever when he creates a time machine lunch box and is visited by a time-traveling worm, Future Worm (James Adomian).
Created by Ryan Quincy, the very funny and extremely unique series debuted earlier this week.
Ryan took some time do discuss the genesis of the series, his influences and what’s in store for a boy, a worm and a Time Travel Lunch Box.
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FOG!: Hey Ryan, I loved the pilot. I’m actually surprised that it’s a Disney series, because Future-Worm definitely plays to an adult audience. Was that always the plan?
Ryan Quincy: Cool, thanks a lot! Glad you liked it. I worked on South Park and created my own animated show, Out There, for IFC. Both shows were geared toward adult audiences and had content that I couldn’t always share with my kids, who are ages 8 and 11. So when I started at Disney TV animation, my focus was to make a show that I could share with them and create a fun animated world that other parents could enjoy with their kids too.
What was the genesis of Future-Worm?
I wanted to do a show about two best friends framed in a sci-fi/comedy backdrop and I also wanted to do a time travel show that didn’t obey the “rules” of time travel and didn’t have to do the cliché going back in time and figuring out who knocked the nose of the sphinx or talking George Washington out of chopping down cherry trees.
As far as where the “Future-Worm” name came from, it was actually my wife’s email address when I first met her. I loved it so much that I got her blessing to use it as the main character’s name. I was also heavily influenced by 1980’s pro wrestling characters like Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Mr. T. I infused them with all those classic unique sidekick/got your back characters like Chewbacca, Jiminy Cricket, E.T., and Ricky Linderman. The end result was this tough guy pink worm with 24 titanium enforced abs.
What is your background and how did that lead to South Park?
I always loved drawing and making dumb sci-fi movies with my friends as a kid. I went to college and studied English and graphic design, then graduated and couldn’t find a job, so I moved out to L.A. to pursue animation.
Coincidentally, I moved right next door to Eric Stough, South Park’s animation director. They had just started season one and were fully staffed, but when it came time for production on the South Park movie, I got hired as an animator and then moved over to the tv show and worked there until 2012.
You then created Out There for IFC. Were there unexpected challenges in developing the series?
The biggest challenge with Out There was I was accustomed to the creative autonomy that South Park had established with that show’s production.
On South Park, we were able to make changes up to the last minute without much creative interference. On Out There, we had a smaller budget, a smaller crew, and were under the microscope a bit more because we were the first animated show on IFC. We didn’t have the luxury of having as much creative freedom that South Park had.
That being said, Out There was based on my high school years growing up in the Midwest and it was near and dear to my heart and I was pretty precious with a lot of things. I’m just happy and grateful to the folks at IFC and Fox that we were able to make 10 episodes.
With Future-Worm, was the time travel element there from the very beginning? Will we see more of Danny’s inventions in addition to the Time Travel Lunch Box and Robo-Carp? More Neil De Grasse Tyson?
I totally wanted to do a time travel show that didn’t obey the rules from the beginning. We will see a lot of Danny’s crazy inventions throughout the season! And YES to more Neil deGrasse Tyson, or as Danny and Fyootch call him, NDT!
Who or what have been your biggest influences? Favorite Time-Travel story?
I’m a child of the 70s and 80s so Star Wars, Doctor Who and Marvel comics were instrumental in my inspirations. My all time favorite time-travel tale is the 1978 Doctor Who “The Key to Time” series storyline.
What are you currently geeking out over?
Stranger Things on Netflix, James Adomian stand up, Andy Milonakis stuff, Pickle & Peanut and anything my kids are doing.
Future-Worm airs Mondays at: 11:00 AM EST on Disney XD
This week watch the episodes: “How to Beat a Cold…With Fists! / Unsolved Histories I / Old Man Duck Head”
- “How to Beat a Cold…With Fists!” – When Danny is too sick to attend Sci-Fi-Fanta-Con, he accidentally creates a giant cold monster. Jonathan Frakes (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) recurs as Steak Starbolt.
- “Unsolved Histories I” – When Danny and Future Worm can’t get a burrito on Columbus Day, they travel back in time to rewrite history.
- “Old Man Duck Head” – Danny and Fyootch inadvertently make an old man with a duck on his head President.
