Given the slew of comic book adaptations arriving on both the big and small screens over the last decade, it’s no wonder that some of the most iconic comics of all time are finally being given their on-screen break. For instance, there’s a live-action version of Neil Gaiman’s seminal comic The Sandman in the works at Netflix.
Next up is FX’s adaptation of Y: the Last Man, based on the classic comic by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. Y: The Last Man takes place after a mysterious plague known as the Gendercide wipes out everyone with a Y chromosome. And this isn’t just limited to humans; every male mammal is afflicted.
That is, every male mammal with the exception of our protagonist Yorick Brown (Ben Schnetzer) and his pet Capuchin monkey Ampersand. He must try to survive as well as track down his girlfriend who was on vacation in Australia at the time, all while being hunted by various groups. His mother, Sen. Jennifer Brown (Diane Lane) and the newly promoted President of the United States, puts him under the protection of Agent 355 (Ashley Romans).
Should the debut season be a success, the story could massively build on and extend what’s on the page. The comic lasted for 60 issues published between 2002-2008, which is sizable, no nowhere near something like Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead. “Five or six seasons is what I’m thinking,” showrunner Eliza Clark told Polygon. “Without giving anything away, the comic is a great template, but the show will have its own twists and turns. Generally speaking, I feel like television is best at about five seasons.”
This makes sense in a lot of ways. The world Vaughan and Guerra created is rich with story possibilities. “I definitely do ,” Clark continued. “I think that’s part of what’s so fun about the book, is that it gives you the opportunity to play with time, play with genre. I love the way Brian drops you into the world, and you have to figure out where you are. But I felt like the first season needed to be about who the characters were, and what they had become. I felt like sticking with them was important, so the audience could see those changes.”
Ampersand the monkey is CGI, but don’t panic
Ampersand is one of the most popular characters in the series. The cute Capuchin monkey never fails to deliver a laugh, especially when it gets on everyone’s nerves. Originally, for the unaired pilot, the team used a real monkey on set. In fact, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Ross’ monkey Marcel from Friends was at one time slated to play Ampersand. However, that ultimately didn’t work out. Instead, a CGI monkey was used for the final show.
Before you get worried about how ridiculous a CGI monkey may look, be assured that it’s fine. Actually, Clark finds it pretty impressive: “The show has a very naturalistic, cinematic style,” she explained. “You’re really close to people’s faces, and you’re seeing their skin, you’re seeing the roots of their hair, you’re seeing sweat dripping down their faces. So if suddenly there’s a cartoon monkey, like, no thank you!”
"But we have an amazing visual-effects supervisor, and the people who made the monkey at ILM are amazing. I think the monkey looks incredible, and so real, and it means that Ben doesn’t have to do scenes with an animal where he can’t show his teeth, because that could get him in trouble. I think the CG solves a lot. The monkey is expensive, and I care deeply about him as a character, and making him look good. So it’s one of the challenges of the show, but I think it’s gonna work out."
Will Y: The Last Man be the next big thing? Season 1 premieres on FX (and FX on Hulu) on September 13.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t SyFy Wire