Created by Vivian “VivziePop” Medrano, the 31-minute pilot for this show was released on Medrano’s YouTube account in 2019. It was animated by freelance artists and funded mainly by Medrano’s Patreon followers. The pilot took six months to write, and two years to animate with voiceover. Since its YouTube debut, it has amassed over 79 million views, and has now attracted the interest of A24 and Bento Box Entertainment. The popularity and success of the pilot allowed Medrano to create a spinoff series called Helluva Boss that was released on October 31st, 2020. This series has different characters, but is still in the same setting, focusing less on redemption, and more on the characters and their relationships with each other. Additionally, a music video for the song "Addict" was released in July 2020 that showcases the newer animation and music style that has been adopted since the original pilot went viral. The music video features Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb experiencing their highs and lows with addiction. The video now has over 120 million views.
Hazbin Hotel caused a bit of controversy when it gained popularity due to the content. It’s an animated and sometimes musical show, which could be misconstrued as being kid-friendly. If you’ve seen the pilot, you know that It is anything but kid-friendly. It also received criticism from the LGBTQ+ community for its depiction of non-heterosexual characters, often making them the punchline for a few homophobic jokes. The pilot includes a lesbian character (Vaggie), a bisexual character (Charlie), a gay pornstar (Angel Dust), and an asexual character (Alastor). Further digging by internet sleuths into Vivian Medrano’s YouTube and online presence has since debunked those claims.
Luckily, A24 has never been known to stray away from controversy, and they decided that they wanted in. While A24 mostly does movies, they’ve had great success with TV shows like Euphoria. Although A24 usually leans more towards the dramatic side, they do allow some levity to surface in a few of their movies, such as Eighth Grade, or Swiss Army Man. And teaming up with Bento Box Entertainment (Bob’s Burgers, The Great North), A24 is sure to deliver a hilariously raunchy series. This article will tell you everything we know so far about this hellish upcoming series.
What Is Hazbin Hotel About?
Hazbin Hotel is an adult animated comedy/musical about Satan’s daughter, Charlie (Jill Harris) who comes up with a solution for the overpopulation of hell. The best way to describe her character is that of a Disney princess, but she happens to be the princess of hell.
Instead of an annual slaughter, not unlike the concept of The Purge (2013), Charlie hopes to reduce population by creating a rehabilitation hotel, with the intention of helping demons redeem their souls and get accepted into heaven. In her corner, she has the support of her girlfriend, Vaggie (Monica Franco), and pornstar Angel Dust (Michael Kovach).
She is openly mocked for her idea and suffers through an embarrassing news interview. She panics when her concept is not well-received and decides to explain herself through song (singing voice, Elsie Lovelock), despite Vaggie’s warnings against doing so. Shortly after her song, her first “client,” Angel Dust, is shown in live footage actively fighting and killing other demons during a turf war. She retreats back to her hotel, almost ready to give up on her dreams when she is approached by one of the most powerful and dangerous demons in hell, Alastor (Gabriel C. Brown), the Radio Demon.
He offers to help in making her dreams come true, when in reality, it seems like he is hoping for more catastrophic failure and wants to watch her crumble for his own entertainment. Vaggie warns Charlie against this and tells her that she can not trust Alastor, but ultimately the decision for Charlie to make on her own.
The pilot ends with her coming to an agreement with him. She refuses to shake on it, or make an official deal because she knows better. Her own father is the devil, after all.
Who’s in the Cast of Hazbin Hotel?
Much to the disappointment of Hazbin Hotel fans, most of the original voice actors will not be returning for the A24 production. Michael Kovach, Elsie Lovelock, Krystal LaPorte, and Michelle Marie announced respectively through their Twitter accounts that they still continued to support the show, even if they were not asked to return. In the official Hazbin Hotel twitter account, the photos released earlier this year show a re-imagined version of Charlie, whose last name was changed from "Magne," to "Morningstar," as well as a slightly new character design for Alastor, the Radio Demon. Despite these changes, Medrano has stated that most of the artists who worked on the pilot would also be working on the new series and that the characters are "in good hands."
Is There a Trailer for Hazbin Hotel?
There is no official A24 trailer yet, but the 31-minute pilot is available on YouTube if you want to get a better idea of what to expect from the upcoming full-length TV series. After months of waiting, we now also have a teaser that showcases what appears to be the opening credits for the show, paired with some footage of Alastor the Radio Demon. The clip was released to celebrate the three-year anniversary of the pilot and you can check it out in the player above.
When and Where Is Hazbin Hotel Going to be Released?
The official @HazbinHotel account has tweeted a few teasers like a “coming soon” image of the hotel as of December 21, 2021, followed by concept art of various characters. While we are coyly being drip-fed tidbits of information, it’s good to remember; patience is a virtue. And in October 2022, we finally got a release window for the series. Hazbin Hotel is now set to open its doors in the Summer of 2023, with a specific date still pending.
It’s not certain if A24 will be streaming exclusively with any one platform at this moment. As we all eagerly await new information, it might not be a bad idea to check out the 8-episode series Helluva Boss that is fully available on Youtube right now. You might find yourself adding some of the musical numbers to your playlist.