Entergalactic is an adult-animated musical television special based upon the album of the same name by rapper Kid Cudi. It is executive produced by Cudi and Kenya Barris and directed by Fletcher Moules with animation by Double Negative VFX. Cudi also leads the voice cast, which includes Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Ty Dolla $ign, Laura Harrier, Vanessa Hudgens, Christopher Abbott, 070 Shake, Teyana Taylor, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Arturo Castro, and Macaulay Culkin.
Cudi portrays Jabari, a young New York artist whose life is upended when he falls for his new neighbor Meadow (Williams), an up-and-coming photographer. The story is told through a combination of Cudi’s music and Spider-Verse-style visuals. The special streamed on Netflix starting September 30, 2022, alongside its namesake album.
Previews: First look
, Trailer
Entergalactic includes examples of:
- Art Shift: Character retellings of events are often done in a distinctly different art style from the main one:
- Ky's story about the girl at his laundromat is rendered in a flat, cartoon style, with simple bright colors and sketchier outlines.
- Karina's story about her first date with her husband is Animesque, with large, rounded eyes, Sweat Drop, scratchy blushes, and so on. Fitting because the guy is an Occidental Otaku with a "thing" for feudal Japan.
- Downtown Pat's story about a hookup who stole all his stuff is rendered like childish graffiti, with very simple line art and spray paint-like colors.
- "Back to Camera" Pose: The poster and accompanying album cover both show Jabari and Meadow together, looking out at a New York City sunset.
- Big Applesauce: Entergalactic is set in and around Manhattan and portrays it as a fun, vibrant part of the city. Meadow's co-exhibitor Nadia introduces her art by saying New York is always portrayed as gray, but in reality it's very colorful.
- Butter Face: Ky brings up having a brief relationship with a white woman who turned out to be a Russian hacker. He mentioned she had an amazing butt, but an alright face.
- Disney Acid Sequence: In the trailer, Jabari gives Meadow a ride home on his bike. It soon turns into a trippy ride through space.
- Ink-Suit Actor: Every character is visually based on their original voice actor. Jabari being a dead ringer for Kid Cudi is the most obvious, but Jimmy has Timothée Chalamet's sharp facial features, Carmen has Laura Harrier's downturned eyes and full lips, and so on.
- Literally Loving Thy Neighbor: Jabari's love interest Meadow is his new neighbor. Their respective friends are supportive of this flirtation, though Ky does tell an anecdote about becoming fuckbuddies with a girl at his laundromat who turned out to be wanted by ICE to try and discourage him. Jabari has to point out that she technically wasn't his neighbor.
- Love at First Sight: Jabari is head-over-heels for Meadow the second he sees her at her party, complete with slow-motion and the world fading out into a galaxy. The last montage in the film shows a flashback to the moment, except the galaxies are around Jabari, implying Meadow felt the same way.
- Medium Blending: The Painted CGI-style Meadow receives a GIF on her phone of Meryl Streep cheering at the Oscars along with the crowd.
- Never Trust a Trailer: A big example in the official trailer, where audio of Jabari talking about not wanting to get back together with Carmen plays over scenes of them going out and kissing, implying a Love Triangle plotline. In the special, this encounter takes place before Jabari and Meadow even meet.
- Old Flame Fizzle: Jabari reconnects with his ex-girlfriend Carmen, but ultimately shuts it down, deciding he doesn't even want to be friends with her.
- The Reveal: At the very end of the movie. The fictional dating app, Stush, which has been prevalent through dialogue and images throughout the movie is an embezzlement scheme; using the personal and payment info of its users to liquidate their money.
- Romantic Rain: Jabari and Meadow briefly get caught up in the rain while on their date.
- Romantic Ride Sharing: Jabari takes Meadow home on the back of his bike. Though his friends make fun of him for not at least booking an Uber, the Disney Acid Sequence that occurs between the two of them emphasizes that it was a really romantic moment.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Jabari has to insist to his friend in the trailer that just because he ran into his ex-girlfriend, it does not mean they are back together.
- Shout-Out:
- Carmen is stated to have Beetlejuice-ed back into Jabari's life.
- Ky sees a pair of dancers at a party wearing black bodysuits and compares them to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" backup dancers. They show up later in the night wearing vagina outfits.
- Token Black Friend: Inverted; the main characters Jabari and Meadow are both Black, and they both have non-Black best friends (Jimmy and Karina) whose purpose is to comment and advise.
