Go behind the scenes in the recording booth and animation studio as the cast and creative team share what it takes to bring Finn and Jake back in Adventure Time: Side Quests.
The beloved world of Adventure Time is making a triumphant return with its newest iteration, Adventure Time: Side Quests. Over the years, the franchise has captured the hearts of audiences of all ages through its unique blend of high fantasy and chill buddy comedy.
While previous spin-offs have occasionally leaned into the darker, higher-stakes elements of the lore, Side Quests shifts the focus back to the lighter, wilder, and inherently goofy adventures that made fans fall in love with the Land of Ooo in the first place. With a fresh art style that honors the original series while elevating the environments, this new chapter is a nostalgic treat for longtime fans and a perfect entry point for newcomers.
Mama’s Geeky sat down with the incredible talent bringing this new series to life, including voice actors Sasha Knight (Finn), John DiMaggio (Jake), Executive Producer Nate Cash, Supervising Director Victor Courtright, and Art Director Nick Cross. Together, the cast and creative team opened up about stepping back into this infinite universe, the magical energy of recording together in the booth, and what it takes to reinterpret iconic characters for a brand-new generation.
Adventure Time: Side Quests Interview Highlights
Mama’s Geeky: What is it about Adventure Time and the world of Ooo that keeps bringing fans back for different iterations?
Nate Cash: “I think it’s such an open world. It’s like everything in the kitchen sink in one series.” He added, “Basically the same. I think like those characters are so infinitely fun. And they’re in an infinitely explorable world. It’s just like perfect recipe for, I mean, I don’t know, I never want to stop telling stories in this universe.”
Victor Courtright: “I mean, I was thrilled to get to go back to the fun stuff because like, I love Adventure Time, don’t get me wrong, but it gets dark towards the end. So I was like, yeah, we get to explore fun adventures again, you know.”
Nick Cross: “Yeah, it’s like a, it’s like a combination of like a chill buddy comedy hangout show and then high fantasy as well. So it’s like it kind of does everything. So in the funnest way possible, I feel like.”
John DiMaggio: “I think that anything goes. Anything goes. But I really think that everybody finds something in the land of voodoo that they can relate to, and they really grasp onto it.” He continued, “There’s always something to relate to, and then a joke to snap you out of it to be like, ‘Hey, come on, cheer up. Stop. Don’t, don’t dwell on something like that. Let’s, let’s go. It’s we’re having an adventure.’ So I think that’s why that’s why people that I mean, you know, of all ages gravitate to the show.”
Sasha Knight: “I agree. I think that even though the show is so like, like fantastical, I feel like it’s also so human and has so many real themes at the same time.”
Mama’s Geeky: The art style is similar but distinct. What was it like creating this new version and reinterpreting established characters?
Nate Cash: “Nick is killing it with the colors, the background design and, you know, being reverent to the old art style, but also like, you know, taking it to, I think, a new level that is super cool to look at… I think it looks like they’re little like cute chibi characters hanging out in like an oil painted Frank Frazetta fantasy world.”
Nick Cross: “Yeah. And it was sort of like, conscientiously trying to make it like, still feel like the Land of Ooo and Adventure Time, but giving it a new spin.” He further explained, “We sort of tried to do a little bit of a different art style, which when you’re kind of dealing with established characters, it’s sort of like, it becomes tricky to sort of make it all work… So it’s mostly just like, how do we, how do we reinterpret them and make it still work in this style?”
Mama’s Geeky: Sasha, what was it like joining such an iconic franchise? John and Victor, what was it like working with him?
Sasha Knight: “It was really crazy. I was very excited. I feel like I definitely grew up around the character.” Reflecting on the pressure, he shared, “It was definitely a bit intimidating to, like, bring Finn back and have it be my own iteration, but also stay true to the Finn that we all know and love.”
John DiMaggio: “I’ve been really fortunate when it comes to returning characters… And yes, Sasha’s doing a kick-ass job. He’s awesome. He’s a good kid.”
Victor Courtright: “Sasha is amazing. Like immediately honed right in on what’s fun about this character. Just like that youthful energy, like excitement about literally every possible danger you could get into.” He also noted, “I think, I mean, working with Sasha’s great, working with John’s great. And like the two of them just kind of like immediately like gelled vocally performance wise.”
Mama’s Geeky: I know you actually got to record together a few times. What was that experience like in the booth?
Sasha Knight: “It was really cool. And like, I actually got to record in the booth with John, which is really cool because I’ve never got to do that for voiceover before. And that’s like some of my favorite memories for the whole show.”
John DiMaggio: “It was great when he and I got together and got to get in there and play and have the chemistry and the back and forth. And that’s really important. And I think it also helped him feel a little more comfortable with in playing Finn because he then all of a sudden, he knew what he was bouncing off of…”
Mama’s Geeky: Which episodes are you most excited for fans to see this season?
Nate Cash: “My favorite, Son of the Goblin Queen. It’s like, it is a classic Ice King, Finn and Jake story in all the best ways.”
Nick Cross: “Yeah, and I think Candy Spirit 2 is fun because it’s sort of, it, it sort of goes into that sort of a little more of that weighty version of Adventure Time 2. So it’s not all just fun and games. There’s also like, big stakes happen.”
John DiMaggio: “All of them? Yeah, great. Perfect. All of them. I don’t I don’t care. They see I want them to see all of them from front to back.”
Sasha Knight: “There’s this one. It’s the first one that I got to record with Jon and I also got to meet him… It’s called Island of Shame.”
Be sure to watch the full video interview to hear more stories from the booth, insights into the animation process, and additional behind-the-scenes secrets from the cast and crew.
About Adventure Time: Side Quests
Adventure awaits a young hero Finn and his magical dog best friend Jake as they quest to party with cloud people and punch evil’s butt across the epic, fantastical land of Ooo.
Adventure Time: Side Quests premieres on Monday, June 29 on Hulu and Disney+.
