Apparently, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the late Stan Lee had something in common: A shared passion for the spiritual return of Kindergarten Cop.
That desire between the bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-political-figure and the dearly missed Marvel icon is apparently the impetus behind the newly announced animated series Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, coming from Genius Brands, Lee’s POW! Entertainment, and Schwarzenegger’s own Oak Productions.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter about the project, Schwarzenegger recalled a chance encounter with Lee leading to the shared realisation that they both loved Kindergarten Cop, leading to the venerable comics scribe to dash off and ponder his own spin on it:
[Lee] kind of looked at me and says, ‘I really enjoyed that movie. That was fantastic. I loved the way you played with those kids and your communication with the kids, the fun you had. Then he was wandering off with his eyes and his wheels were spinning.
That idea now lives on as Superhero Kindergarten, although Lee himself is sadly no longer here to see it come to fruition.
While Kindergarten Cop saw Schwarzenegger cast as an undercover police detective, in Superhero Kindergarten—penned by another comics luminary, Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza—Schwarzenegger lends his voice and likeness to an ex-superhero, Captain Courage.
After giving up his superpowers in a final battle with his arch nemesis, Courage returns to his pre-hero life as a gym teacher, only to find himself tasked with teaching the next generation of young heroes five years on when an explosion of super-powered particles douses the kindergarten kids with transformative energy that grants enhanced abilities.
The series sounds like it’ll be a little more edutainment-y than Kindergarten Cop’s slapstick—Schwarzenegger highlights that his role will let him educate kids about health and fitness, as well as the typical superhero mantras of inclusivity, friendship, and good triumphing over evil. But still, it’s hard not to be intrigued by the idea of a spiritual successor to Kindergarten Cop, especially with the names attached to it. Even Lee will posthumously be a part of the series, making a Marvel-esque cameo every episode, as if watching over his bizarre idea from beyond.
There are currently no details as to when or where Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten will actually air, but we’ll bring you more as we learn it. Schwarzenegger, of course, will next be seen in Terminator: Dark Fate.