Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm

Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, titled onscreen as Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm: Book VII: The Forest Awakens, is a 2022 American direct-to-video adult animated surreal black comedy film based on the Adult Swim animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and a stand-alone sequel to the 2007 film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. The film was produced, written, and directed by series creators Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, and features the voices of Dana Snyder, Carey Means, Willis, Maiellaro, Peter Serafinowicz, and Paul Walter Hauser. The film centers around the Aqua Teens reunited as they come into conflict with an evil tech mogul named Neil, who runs the mega-corporation Amazin.

The film is the first of Adult Swim's line of straight-to-video movies, and was released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and digital platforms on November 8, 2022, and was made available on Max on February 8, 2023. The film aired on Adult Swim on March 19, 2023.

Plot
The story follows Frylock, Meatwad, and Master Shake after they are forced to leave their home. Frylock now works at Amazin, a company owned by the reclusive Neil, who wants to become taller. Frylock helps clone a taller version of Neil, called Big Neil, who then usurps Neil's position. Meanwhile, Meatwad and Shake take refuge at their neighbor Carl's house, where they encounter plant creatures created by Amazin. Frylock, Neil, and Big Neil hatch a plan to kill the plant creatures by pushing the Moon in front of the Sun, but this leads to the Earth freezing over. In the end, the Japongaloids and Fraptaculans, alien races enslaved by Neil, devour the Aqua Teens. The story ends with a post-credits scene hinting at a sequel.

Cast

 * Dana Snyder as Master Shake
 * Carey Means as Frylock
 * Dave Willis as Meatwad, Carl and Ignignokt
 * Matt Maiellaro as Err and Markula
 * Peter Serafinowicz as Neil and Big Neil
 * Paul Walter Hauser as Elmer
 * Natasha Rothwell as Japongaloid (Japongaloid Natasha)
 * Robert Smigel as Fraptaculan (Fraptaculan Robert)
 * Tim Robinson as Fraptaculan (Fraptaculan Tim)
 * Kyle Kinane as Elric in IT
 * Jo Firestone as Felicity in IT
 * Lauren Holt as Liz
 * Comedian CP as Stretch Instructor and Japongaloid (Japongaloid Chris)
 * Blair Socci as Japongaloid (Japongaloid Blair)
 * Shawn Kemp as himself
 * Lavell Crawford as Street Tough
 * John Wilson as Amazin' Board Member
 * Jaime Meline as Street Tough
 * Killer Mike as Boxy Brown

Development
There has been talk of producing a sequel to Colon Movie Film for Theaters titled Death Fighter. While little has been confirmed by Adult Swim in regards to the film, there have been many statements regarding it. On December 15, 2008, Willis stated no script was written and that the film would be released in Spring 2009 (though, as he also stated that Death Fighter was a T-shirt he was working on, he likely wasn't being serious). Following this, in an April 2009 interview, Willis joked about the film lacking any sort of funding and being sold out of the back of his car.

In a 2010 interview, Radical Axis staff stated Death Fighter was in production, and mentioned the possibility that the film might be made in 3-D. When asked if the film was designed for a theatrical release, a Radical Axis staff member responded yes, but stated: "We're not sure if we have a distributor yet", though this was then followed by the statement that "Adult Swim will never make another movie ever again".

Progress
In 2014, Willis claimed that the script had been completed & approved and that the film would be released sometime in mid-2015, then jokingly stated that the film was shelved as it was not G-rated; however, on April 25, 2015, at a C2CE convention panel, Willis indirectly stated that the project was scrapped, soon after announcing the series' cancellation. He later mentioned on Reddit that it would need a $3.4 million budget, and expressed interest in funding via Kickstarter. He reportedly stated that release could happen within the next two years.

Plantasm
A new film was confirmed to be in production in May 2021, with no further details confirmed aside from it being direct-to-video.

On May 12, 2021, Adult Swim confirmed the production of three new original films, including a new Aqua Teen Hunger Force film to make exclusive debuts on HBO Max following a physical/VOD release. On November 14, 2021, it was announced the film would be released in 2022.

On May 18, 2022, the title was revealed as Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Plantasm. The title was then later changed to Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm in August 2022. Ahead of the film's release in October 2022, rapper Killer Mike was revealed to be the new voice actor for Boxy Brown, who was originally voiced by Willis.

Release
A sneak preview was shown at Adult Swim Festival in August 2022, and the film was confirmed to be released on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and digital on November 8, 2022.

The film made its streaming premiere on Max on February 8, 2023, and premiered on Adult Swim on March 19, 2023.

Reception
Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm received mostly positive reviews. On the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 100% rating, based on reviews from 5 critics with an average score of 6.80/10.

Series revival
In a December 2022 interview, Maiellaro revealed that he had begun working on scripts for five new Aqua Teen episodes. A month later in January 2023, a twelfth season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force was announced due to the film's positive reception.