New Season of Arcane Showcased at Special Hollywood Screening

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Cartoon Brew and Netflix recently held a special screening of the second season of the acclaimed animated series Arcane in Hollywood. The event featured a half-hour conversation with executive producer and showrunner Christian Linke and co-director and screenwriter Amanda Overton.

The discussion, moderated by Cartoon Brew editor-in-chief Amid Amidi, focused on the complex relationship between Vi and Jinx, the creative processes behind the series, and future directions for the show. Both seasons of Arcane are available for streaming on Netflix.

Linke and Overton were asked about the long-planned narrative arc between sisters Vi and Jinx, culminating in the bittersweet finale titled “The Dirt Under Your Nails.” Linke noted, “One of the first few conversations we had even in the [writers’] room was this question of, can they be sisters again, and that’s the question until the very end.”

He explained that both characters faced significant choices that deeply affected each other, creating a challenge for the writers. They had to explore how these life-altering events would shape their relationship. “There was not a version where Jinx just steps back into this twin city and we’ll all forgive you for all that murdering of hundreds and thousands of people,” Linke added.

Overton emphasized that in the new season, Jinx steps into the role of a big sister. “For once, she got to understand where her sister was coming from. She got that moment to come full circle,” she said.

This season also showcases Jinx reclaiming her agency when she seemingly sacrifices herself, hinting at her survival. Maunoury, a director, shared insights into the collaborative creative process, stating it involved ongoing conversations until animation lock and extensive brainstorming with Fortiche’s co-founders and supervising directors.

Linke acknowledged Riot Games‘ support for the project, which turned popular video game characters into a serialized animated series over ten years. He remarked on the challenges of the experimental nature of the production pipeline for Arcane.

As for music, Linke had intended to work with various artists for original compositions but ended up producing songs in-house, collaborating with artists such as Sting. “It was always scary because you have to make good songs. It’s always hard,” he noted.

Looking forward, Linke expressed enthusiasm about future animated projects, stating, “We’re only getting started. There’s a lot more we want to do.” He confirmed that they are exploring other characters from League of Legends for potential development.