This month, fans of “Backyard Sports” will be transported back to the ballgames of the ’90s with the release of a new animated television special starring Pablo Sanchez and his ragtag team of iconic child athletes.
Tiffany Haddish as Keyshia Phillips, Chris Mintz-Plasse as Dmitri Petrovich, Donald Faison as Dante Robinson, Ego Nwodim as Stephanie Morgan and Jocinda Smith, Special appearances include Ashley Crystal Hairson as Sunny Day, Adam Pally as Pete Wheeler, Utkarsh Ambudkar as Akhmed Khan, Arturo Castro as Pablo Sanchez, and Lindsey Barnett. (CEO of Playground Productions) as Vinny and the Weber Twins, Deborah Barker Jr. as Jimmy, and Michael Vlamis as Tony DelVecchio.
According to the official description for the animated special, “It’s opening day at Steele Stadium, but the team’s superstar, Stephanie ‘Bubbles’ Morgan, is in crisis. She’s lost her must-have lucky bubble gum, which she can’t play without! With just 30 minutes until game time, the kids in the backyard embark on a wild mission to track it down and save the season.”
The “Backyard Sports” animated special will debut on YouTube in late January after premiering at Dave & Buster’s as part of a new partnership with “Backyard Sports” IP owner Playground Productions. The exact release date of the special will be announced soon.
See below for a first look at the characters and the voice actors who play them in the new animated TV special “Backyard Sports.”
Oshahatman
The special, written by Joe Purdy (“Hey Arnold!”) and directed by Mike Roberts (“Final Space,” “BoJack Horseman”), is produced by animation producer Lighthouse Studios (“Bob’s Burgers,” “Rick and Morty,” “The Cuphead Show”).
The “Backyard Sports” animated special is the latest in a series of spring projects based on iconic 90s video games. The video game has been revived in recent years with all the original games re-released for modern platforms by new rights holder Playground Productions. In addition, Playground Productions is currently working on an all-new “Backyard Sports” game, as well as character-based projects in the TV and film space.
“We’re excited to bring these animated characters into the world and tell their stories in the world of Backyard Sports,” said Playground Productions CEO Lindsey Barnett (who voices Vinnie). “Each of these actors is perfect for their roles, and we can’t wait for fans to see these characters come to life on screen later this month.”
Chris Waters, Chief Product Officer, Playground Productions, added, “‘Backyard’ is a perfect blend of comedy, heart, and the joy of play. We chose this incredible group of actors because they bring humor, humanity, and an infectious sense of playfulness that perfectly captures the spirit of the series.”
The “Backyard Sports” animated special is executive produced by Chris Waters, Lindsey Burnett, Avi Savicki and Ali Pinchot. Phil Crane is the line producer. Music was by Johnny Scholl.
Baker Jr. is repped by Innovative Artists Entertainment.
Mintz-Plasse is repped by Verve and Artists First.
Nwodim is represented by CAA, OPE Partners, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, and The Initiative Group.
Mr. Castro is repped by WME, Untitled, HJTH and Shelter PR.
Ambudkar is represented by Gersh, 3Arts, Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.
Parry is repped by UTA, 3 Arts, Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Rezcano Bob & Dan.
Faison is represented by UTA and Fuller Law.
Haddish is repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Cole.
