Genndy Tartakovsky Vows Weekly Updates “Until It’s Made” After Leaking Black Knight Test Footage

Genndy Tartakovsky — the animation auteur best known for Samurai Jack, Primal and Dexter’s Laboratory — quietly published test footage in late September to breathe life back into his dormant feature, Black Knight. (Background on Tartakovsky’s career and his previous projects can be found here.)

The short reel, shared on Instagram, showcases fluid, hard-edged combat between a solitary warrior and a towering 20-foot knight, rendered in Tartakovsky’s distinctive kinetic style. He says the sequence was shot roughly six years ago as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate that a darker, more mature animated action film could find an audience. Although the concept earned creative approval, Sony Animation — where he was attached to direct two original films — never formally moved the project into production.

Tartakovsky has expressed frustration that executives repeatedly question who would see an original adult animated film. He argues that contemporary hits and crossover pieces — part of the Spider-Verse phenomenon and the broader anime wave — already prove there’s a market for ambitious, non-kid-focused animation.

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Tartakovsky’s move followed a string of recent animation successes — including KPop Demon Hunters and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle — that only magnified his impatience. He decided to release the footage himself to gauge public interest and shake executives out of complacency.

Sony, which previously collaborated with him on projects such as Hotel Transylvania, did not publicly oppose the upload. According to Tartakovsky, the studio’s response was essentially permissive: do what you want — and the reaction so far has skewed positive.

After the clip began circulating online, it gained particular momentum in Latin America. Buoyed by the response, Tartakovsky says he plans to share new material regularly — “every week until it gets made,” he’s indicated — hoping sustained enthusiasm will persuade decision-makers to give Black Knight the green light.

He’s singled out Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman as a pivotal figure whose backing could change the picture. Ultimately, Tartakovsky’s argument is straightforward: younger viewers already embrace animation in all its forms and don’t see it as children’s entertainment alone — and that broader appetite should justify more original, adult-oriented animated features.

Source: Polygon