Keegan-Michael Key has been key to reviving many iconic franchises over the past few years. The comedian rose to fame with the Peabody Award-winning sketch show Key & Peele, opposite Nope director Jordan Peele. And since then, the Detroit native has appeared in The Lion King, Pinocchio, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and more, making himself a fixture of big-budget revivals of beloved properties.
Speaking exclusively with MovieWeb, Key revealed the one franchise he’d like to see get the Hollywood live-action treatment. Key initially suggested Voltron, though he quickly shifted gears once he was informed that a movie adaptation of the 1980s science-fiction cartoon is already scheduled to be released next year. “Battle of the Planets!” Key enthusiastically suggested. “If they could, that would be an amazing thing. If they would make live-action G-Force movies, that’s what I would like to see. That’s what I want.”
Key is, of course, referring to the American adaptation of the Japanese anime Science Ninja Team Gatchaman. Battle of the Planets features five young protagonists as G-Force, a troupe tasked with protecting the Earth from the enemy planet Spectra, as well as other intergalactic threats. It ran in syndication from 1978 to 1980. The show has a lasting legacy, routinely making Top 100 lists of greatest cartoons and animated series.
Key may be in luck, as directors Anthony and Joe Russo announced they were working on putting together a live-action Battle of the Planets movie back in 2019. The brothers are the duo behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame and two Captain America movies. They last spoke about a Battle of the Planets movie back in 2023, when they told Collider that they’re putting “a lot of creative energy into” the adaptation. The Russo brothers are understandably busy with Avengers projects, as the next two movies are scheduled for release in December 2026 and December 2027. Only time will tell if Key’s dreams will come true.
Meanwhile, the comedian has his own successful franchises to worry about. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, in which he voiced Toad, grossed over $980 million worldwide, a smashing success for a movie made on a budget of $110 million. The actor’s next outing will be Buddy, a horror thriller directed by Casper Kelly and co-starring Cristin Milioti (Palm Springs, The Resort) and Topher Grace (That ’70s Show, BlaKkKlansman). The movie premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews, and is set to be released in theaters on Sept. 4.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
