Exclusive online content is all the rage nowadays, ranging from Funny or Die clips to projects involving talent like Kiefer Sutherland, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt — the web is fast becoming a channel to be seen by many. Producer Bryan Singer is already bringing his "H+" sci-fi series to the web in August, but it was back in January we told you actor Tom Hanks would be producing an animated web series, "Electric City," and things looks to be shaping up quite nicely.
A new trailer has arrived, showcasing just what Tom Hanks has been working on for a reported eight years prior to partnering up with Yahoo! and Reliance Entertainment to bring the animated sci-fi program to life. Providing the voice of the title character, the trailer for "Electric City" has a nice Sylvain Chomet ("The Triplets of Belleville," "The Illusionist") vibe to it, crossed with something a little more modern and digitally enhanced. Not a lot can be seen in the trailer, except a lot of folks casting secretive glances at one another, all while voiceover narration talks up the mystery of the titular location. "Electric City" is set in the future, with a totalitarian government holding all power over the city. Hanks voices a character who works for the government but is also sympathetic to the cause of a band of thieves who are siphoning electricity from them — all with a tone comparable to "Lost." More cast details have been revealed with Hanks being joined by Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holland Taylor, Ginnifer Goodwin, Paul Scheer, Chris Parnell and June Diane Raphael. Interesting indeed.
"Electric City" is set to feature twenty episodes running between 3 and 5 minutes, and will be available to watch on your PC or mobile, with a single, longer version available in the future. Also kids, the show will utilize social media to expand the world and also some kind of 3D interactive map (yeah, we're not sure about that last part either). The show is set for launch on July 17th with the first 10 episodes, which will then be followed by the remaining episodes on July 18th and 19th.