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Movie adaptations are a fan’s dream, but sometimes the news can be a bit nerve-racking when the source material is near and dear to one’s heart. In May, Sausage Party creators Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg announced they’d be tackling Maximum Fun’s podcast, Bubble, as part of their next adventure into adult animation. If you, like me, weren’t in love with the raunchiness of Sausage Party, this might sour your interest a bit, but it makes more sense than you might think.
Jordan Morris, the show’s original creator, will be joining the duo to write the script. With the world of media still adapting to Covid-19, it’s not entirely clear when or how the film will be released. So, before the first trailer hits, now is the perfect time to dive in and explore the original story!
Dipping The Wand: Podcast Origins & Story
Bubble was the first scripted podcast from Maximum Fun (home of podcasting heavy hitters, the McElroy brothers, and many other outstanding podcasters) and debuted in 2018. The eight-episode, sci-fi comedy is based on a hipster utopia: a literal dome known as Fairhaven where hangover burritos are on every corner and brewed beer is in every basement. Our heroes are a ragtag team of millennials who work for a monster killing service app called Huntr.
The monsters they kill are an invasive species from outside the bubble, in the alien wilderness called The Brush. They often appear as mutated fish-like creatures, reptiles, or insects. Morgan, a “brush-baby,” was born outside of the bubble. Although comfortable with her life in Fairhaven, she struggles with feeling out of place, craving the excitement of The Brush. Her roommate, Annie, creates hallucinogenics from creatures’ blood, selling it (sort of) under the nose of Fairhaven’s leading tech conglomerate Tandem. Picture Buy N Large from Wall-E, but make it trendy.
When Morgan was confronted by Tandem’s mogul, Bonnie, the woman who “rescued” her and a handful of other children from The Brush, about Annie’s side-hustle, Morgan was then blackmailed into joining the Huntr team. A chance meeting with Annie’s two-time Tinder date, Mitch, led to a partnership. Morgan’s ex-boyfriend and fellow brush-baby Van is also a Huntr employee with a massive online following. Mitch and Morgan decided to team up with Van in the hopes of boosting their star ratings.
Bubble seamlessly blends podcasting culture with more mainstream media. It often breaks the fourth wall, turning practical things — like acknowledging song licenses — into comedic scenes (like performing an off-brand version of Come Sail Away that’s guaranteed to get stuck in your head). It also embraces its community while welcoming broader audiences with its cast. A myriad of Maximum Fun creators have cameos throughout the series alongside the voices of Judy Greer, Martin Starr, Rob Corddry, and Lisa Loeb. My heart hopes they’ll find a spot somewhere in the adaptation as well.
Unbeliebubble Truths: Bubble‘s Reflections On Modern Culture
As is, the show has a PG-13 vibe with strong language being its most significant offense. However, it has a very adult core, which makes it perfect for a Rogen/Goldberg project. While poking fun at millennials and our justifications for paying ridiculous rents for fun neighborhoods, Bubble is about convenience culture, the evolving world of gig economy, and the ways we surround ourselves with likeminded people. Although a bit on the nose, it’s the dangers of our self-created ecosystems that are sure to play the most pivotal role in the film.
It also encourages us to laugh at ourselves. In an interview with The Verge, Morris said, “You know it’s funny, while we were in the writing sessions, at some point, everyone had a joke that made them go ‘hey…’, in an ‘I do that’ way. Mine came in episode 3, where there’s a line about an office drone guy who thinks that he’s interesting because he’s barrel-aging his own whiskey. I remember reading that and going ‘hey!’ because I have recently begun barrel aging my own whiskey.”
“I hope this is something where people can laugh at themselves a bit. I want people to see the silliness around them.”
Jordan Morris. theverge.com. 12 Aug 2018.
Break Out The Bubbly & Become A Fan First!
There aren’t many details about the film’s release yet, but I’m excited to see where the story goes as (spoiler alert) the show ended on a cliffhanger without a second season to follow up. All ten episodes can be found here, or wherever you get your podcasts. Become a Bubble fan before it was cool.