In the history of cinema, the canon of nefarious businessmen out to perpetrate intergalactic evil is particularly rich. Immediately, classic titles like Aliens and Space Jam come to mind for their expert portrayals of administrative evil set against an interstellar backdrop. Come April 29, the genre gets even bigger with the release of Ratchet & Clank, the animated feature film adaptation of the popular Insomniac Games franchise.
Following a headstrong, foolhardy lombax mechanic named Ratchet and a sardonic would-be murderbot named Clank, Ratchet & Clank tells the story of two oddballs who wind up having to save the galaxy from a belligerent bureaucrat. Considering the games have been around since 2002, I think I speak for everyone when I say it’s about damn time.
Recently, the stars of the film, James Arnold Taylor (Ratchet) and David Kaye (Clank) stopped by our offices to play their new game based on their new movie based on their old game with Malik Forté, as well as chat with me about the film, playing these characters for so long, and much more.
Hereâs the official synopsis:
Two unlikely heroes struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind, a foolhardy âlombaxâ who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way, they will learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering oneâs own identity.
Ratchet & Clank hits theaters on April 29, 2016.
Images:Â Sony Interactive Entertainment/Focus Features
Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).