Over the years, we’ve tracked a fascinating trend of YouTube transplants finding a massive second life on the world’s biggest streaming service. From James Rallison’s Oddballs to the cult-favorite Bee and PuppyCat, and even kids’ juggernauts like CoComelon, Netflix has frequently looked to the internet for its next big hit.Most recently, we saw Glitch Productions’ indie mega-hit The Amazing Digital Circus make the leap, albeit with a unique hybrid release schedule that shares its premiere windows with YouTube. Now, another wildly popular web series is following in those giant footsteps. The indie animated series Monkey Wrench is officially touching down on Netflix globally on August 19th.
Originally debuting on YouTube in 2022, Monkey Wrench has built an incredibly passionate fanbase online. The sci-fi comedy carries a “12” rating and falls perfectly into the adult animation space, mixing high-octane action with laugh-out-loud comedy. The channel isn’t quite as big as other YouTube channels that have made the jump but it does boast nearly 10 million lifetime views and 230K subscribers.
So, what is the show about? Here is the official Netflix synopsis:
“A ragtag crew of bounty hunters chases down dangerous criminals across the galaxy. They’re not the heroes we deserve — but they’re the only ones we got.”
According to the newly released 57-second announcement trailer, the Netflix drop will consist of the first five episodes of the series. However, these won’t just be standard ports of the YouTube uploads. The show has been fully upgraded for its mainstream streaming debut, featuring fully remastered and re-engineered audio plus a new intro sequence. Furthermore, because this is a global release, the series will launch with multiple new language dubs. Per the description, the deal to bring the YouTube show to Netflix has been in the making for 8 months.
The stellar voice cast bringing this colorful galaxy to life includes:
- Jacob Barrens (as Shrike)
- Jean-Francois Donaldson (as Beebs)
- Chris Zito
- Niko Vargas
- Logan Calderwood
- Lou Haroldson
- Matthew Curtis
Monkey Wrench joins a rapidly growing list of independent animations securing major streaming distribution, marking another huge win for indie creators looking to break into the mainstream.
Are you excited to check out Monkey Wrench when it hits Netflix on August 19th? Will you be watching for the first time, or are you a long-time YouTube subscriber checking out the remaster? Let us know in the comments below!
