Netflix recently dropped the trailer (and release date) for THE CUPHEAD SHOW! The adaptation of the already popular game series was announced a few years ago – where I noted that it was already tagged as a kid’s show and it seems they are sticking to it. Netflix describes the series as a “character-driven comedy series” that follows Cuphead and his brother Mugman (or “Mugsy” as he’s once referred to in the trailer) as the two look for adventure and mischief on Inkwell Isles. I was a little surprised at the voices for Cuphead and Mugman as I was expecting a something higher pitched in the vein of Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop.
The trailer was full of easter eggs and references to the Cuphead game as well as the other animated series that inspired its artistic style. So let’s see how many I could find:
There’s of course the obvious – the very first shot of in the trailer is an overview of Inkwell Isles 1, 2, and 3 as well as Cala Maria, Captain Brineybeard, and Grim Matchstick.
We then travel to Elder Kettle’s house where’s there’s a happy goat very similar to the one that appears in Disney’s Steamboat Willie. As the ride atop a rocket, they speed through a forrest that gives me Forrest Follies vibes.
At the vegatable patch, we get a glimpse of the Root Pack and then cut to Ms. Chalice (from the still unreleased DLC) and King Dice. At the same nightclub where their boss battle takes place, we see Ribby and Croacks with their signature boxing gloves ready to wallop on Cuphead and Mugman.
We get another Disney reference as the two brothers flee past some dancing skeletons, an homage to The Skeleton Dance from Silly Symphony. There’s a spooky tree that bears some resemblance to the one in the haunted forrest in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but not enough for me to say it’s a true reference.
Cuphead and Mugman slam into a wall Wile E. Coyote style while those creepy eyes from the Funhouse Frazzle level look on.
The Devil finally appears in the middle of a horrified crowd. There’s a stack of coins that looks like he could be a distant cousin of Chips Bettigan and a turtle with pearls that could be the grandmother of Tully who sits on the dock in Inkwell Isle 3.
Two cats on either side that resemble Pete (again from Steamboat Willie and other Disney animations) as well as some rubber hose style characters that could be from Disney or Fleischer Studios. As the crowd flees from the Devil there’s a cat in the bottom right that could be Felix and a rabbit or mouse that could be Oswald or Mickey.
Cuphead gets his soul sucked out of him, and Mugman has to snatch it and force it back into his body just like my boyfriend did every time I died during a level. And just like Cuphead, I too wanted to quit immediately once revived.
King Dice (voiced by Wayne Brady) is himself a reference to Cab Calloway, the famous Jazz musician of the 1930s and 40s. We cut to Quadaratus, the water being who so helpfully will remind you how much you suck by revelaing how many times you’ve died during the game.
We pop into Pork Rind’s shop – another character who’s voice is not what I expected (in the game its more gruff and surly). He’s reading a booklet, and might be planning his bets. The horse on the back a callback either to Phear Lap or the carousel horse that Beppi the Clown rides during Carnival Kerfuffle.
The Devil chases down Cuphead and gets shocked by his touch. We see his skeleton which we also get a glimpse at during his boss battle. He transforms into a tantrum throwing Octopus which also bears similarities to one of his transformations during the boss battle where he is also shedding tears.
A golden egg which is similar in style but not in colour to the ones thrown by Wally Warbles. Cuphead and Mugman do their best Mickey Mouse walk down a street lined with flowers which is what Cagney Carnation looks like, before he shows his true colours.
Cuphead and Mugman are pursued by ghosts – several of whom are from various levels in the game. There’s a ghost in an electric chair which could be a reference to the Scoleri brothers from Ghostbusters.
A terrifying walk down that same road, the flowers are dead and we see gravestones that resemble Goopy Le Grande. The moon has a face similar to Hilda Berg, and the red rocket is also reminscent of her too.
We get another reference to Disney’s Silly Symphonies, this time to Music Land with the animated instruments. A tuba also appears in Funhouse Frazzle but more so resembles Cab Calloway/King Dice. We end off with the Devil and his purple minion who also appear in that final battle.
Well that’s it! That’s all I found, but if I missed anything feel free to share them down in the comments!
THE CUPHEAD SHOW! will premiere on Netflix on February 18th and the DLC Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is finally is scheduled to be released on June 30th of this year.
Elexciss 