Amazon's animated anthology series "Secret Level" is about to unveil its darkest reimagining yet - a dystopian take on the beloved arcade classic Pac-Man that pushes creative boundaries into shocking new territory.
The 10-minute episode follows an amnesiac swordsman, voiced by Aleks Le, who awakens in a mysterious water tank with no memories. His only companion is a floating orb named Puck (Emily Swallow of The Mandalorian), who claims he is "the Chosen" - destined to escape an ominous maze while battling grotesque mutants in a post-apocalyptic world.
"When I pitch it to people, I tell them it's actually our bloodiest episode ever," reveals series creator Tim Miller. The creative team, including supervising director Dave Wilson and teleplay writer JT Petty, drew inspiration from diverse sources like Conan the Barbarian, Black Mirror, and the psychedelic horror film Mandy.
During development, gaming publisher Bandai Namco gave the team one clear directive: they wanted audiences to be stunned by this radical reimagining of their family-friendly franchise. "We would like audiences to wonder, 'What the f--- did they do to Pac-Man?'" Wilson recalls from their conversations.
While the episode ventures into dark new territory, subtle nods to the original game remain. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot familiar elements like cherries making brief appearances - a detail that drew enthusiastic responses during early footage screenings at New York Comic-Con.
The creative process involved extensive preparation, with the team building comprehensive pitch documents for each video game adaptation. Writers, primarily from novel and short story backgrounds, were then invited to propose their unique visions for reinventing these classic properties.
"Secret Level's" bold new vision of Pac-Man debuts December 10 on Prime Video, promising viewers a haunting journey that transforms a beloved gaming icon into an unsettling tale of survival and mystery.