After several years, Primal is finally set to return with a highly-anticipated third season.
Previously, series creator Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack) planned to move on from Spear and Fang's story and chane the show to an anthology format but had a change of heart during development.
At CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, Tartakovsky revealed, "I started to draw, and the first idea was of this orange alien girl and a blue man. They were born, kind of like Adam and Eve, and they struggle, and they fight different creatures. It kind of felt just not right."
Other ideas included a show focues on insectoid aliens or on a very cute alien that undertakes a journey that turns it into something lethal and visceral. Ultimately, none of those ideas felt right to Tartakovsky and he opted to continue Fang and Spear's story from where season 2 ended.
Known for being a "visual masterpiece, " Primal leans into visual storytelling and has zero actual dialogue. The show has won multiple Emmy Awards thanks to its haunting sound design, no-holds barred gory action and anti-historical world building.
In the season 2 finale, Spear sacrificed himself to stop a Surtur-like fire demon, saving the T-rex Fang and his mate, Mira. The final moments of the episode then jumped several years ahead to the future, showing Spear and Fang's daughter riding on top of one of Fang's offspring, just like her father.
Thanks to the trailer above and previous comments from Tartakovsky, it's confirmed that Spear will reunite with Fang and his family but is there still enough of his original self inside of the heroic Neanderthal to hold back his zombie instincts from taking over?
Primal season 3 kickoff on Sunday, January 11 at 11:30pm ET/PT on Adult Swim, with streaming available the next day on HBO Max.
Based on the teaser trailer above, fans can still expect the same raw, unflinching violence, minimalist storytelling, and immersive, award-winning sound design that define Genndy Tartakovsky’s prehistoric epic.
Tartakovsky has kept most story details for Primal season 3 under wraps; he did confirm that Spear and Fang’s offspring will appear in the new season and play a pivotal role in the story.
Stay tuned to Toonado for future Primal season 3 updates as we count down to the January 11 premiere.