Todd McFarlane reveals unreleased animated Spawn movie starring Keith David and Mark Hamill
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane said at San Diego Comic-Con that he is sitting on a nearly finished 90-minute animated Spawn film. Keith David and Mark Hamill voice the project, which has sat unreleased for years after a production dispute.
TL;DR
- McFarlane says the animated film is fully voiced and drawn, minus final cel animation and sound effects.
- Keith David reprises his role as Al Simmons, the man behind the Spawn mask.
- Mark Hamill voices Detective Twitch, taking over from Michael McShane in the original HBO run.
- McFarlane bought the project back himself after a falling-out with a previous production team and its lawyer.
What McFarlane Revealed at Comic-Con
Speaking with ComicBook.com during the San Diego convention, McFarlane said the animated feature had reached an advanced stage before stalling. According to the outlet, he described the film as effectively voice-complete and largely storyboarded, needing only Foley work and final cel animation before it could go to a studio.
McFarlane told the site he regained control of the project after a dispute with an earlier production partner. He said he bought back the rights rather than let the film stay tied up in that arrangement.
at the Mark Hamill Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, CA 03-08-18
The Voice Cast
David returns as the title character nearly three decades after first voicing him on HBO’s Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, which ran from 1997 to 1999. Hamill takes on Twitch, a supporting detective role.
Per a separate account from Bloody Disgusting, McFarlane recalled coaching Hamill away from a stylised cartoon delivery and toward a flatter, more world-weary reading for the detective character. McFarlane said he wanted an actor’s performance rather than a voiceover performance.
No Release Plan Yet
McFarlane gave no timeline for finishing or releasing the animated film. Reportedly, he indicated he wants to prioritise getting a separate live-action Spawn project into theatres first, before deciding whether to bring the animated feature out.
UK Streaming Context
The original HBO Spawn series that made David’s voice performance famous is currently available to UK audiences on HBO Max, according to JustWatch’s UK listings. No UK distributor or release window has been announced for the newly revealed animated film.
Where This Fits in the Franchise
The reveal lands as Blumhouse’s long-discussed live-action Spawn reboot continues to sit in development, with no confirmed director or cast. It also follows a wider run of studios revisiting nineties animated properties, including the X-Men ’97 team’s push for further seasons and Vice Press’s recent VHS re-release of The Crow, another dark comic adaptation with a devoted cult following.
For now, McFarlane’s animated Spawn film remains unfinished business — a complete performance sitting on a shelf, waiting for its moment.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed July 29, 2026.
Elena Vane is an award-winning comics historian and pop culture journalist. Specializing in the DC/Marvel universes and independent graphic novels, Elena has been documenting the rise of cosplay culture for over a decade . She is a frequent panelist at New York Comic Con and provides in-depth biographies of industry pioneers. Elena’s expertise ensures that every comic-related update is factually grounded and community-focused .
