Disney's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur series set out to show how 'one girl can make a difference'
Marvel The titular heroes of Disney's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' share a strong bond.
There's no bond like that between a boy and his dog — except maybe the one between a girl and her dinosaur.
In the first episode of Disney's new animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, young genius Lunella Lafayette (Diamond White) opens an interdimensional portal and a big red dinosaur comes stomping through. He's not as mean as he looks, though, and despite what an odd couple they make, Lunella and Devil Dinosaur take to each other immediately. They soon team up to fight crime and solve problems in Lunella's Lower East Side neighborhood.
"It's a true bond because where he comes from is a very rough place," Fred Tatasciore, who voices Devil Dinosaur, tells EW. "Coming in and meeting this brilliant being who not only learns his language but treats him like a friend — and ultimately, a family member — means everything to him. Not to mention the hot dogs she feeds him! But the fact is, they have a real bond."
Marvel Casey (Libe Barer) and Lunella (Diamond White) on 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.'
As with so many Marvel characters, the roots of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur go back to legendary artist Jack Kirby, who created the big red dino and his sidekick Moon Boy in 1978. Decades later, Marvel comic creators Brandon Montclare, Amy Reeder and Natacha Bustos refashioned the concept by creating Lunella and making her super smart (whereas Moon Boy had been a prehistoric caveman type). After launching in November 2015, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur quickly became a popular comic among young readers and Scholastic book fairs.
The comic eventually caught the attention of Laurence Fishburne, who saw the potential for a screen adaptation. He brought it to his producing partner Helen Sugland, and through their production company Cinema Gypsy, they connected with Marvel and Disney and got the show developed.
"When Laurence wants to do something and starts making calls, you take those calls," says Steve Lotner, who executive produces the show alongside Fishburne and Sugland. "My career has a history of strong female protagonists like Kim Possible and Tinker Bell, and Laurence actually was familiar with my work and was a fan. So we just connected to tell the story of Lunella Lafayette, and we pretty much shared a similar vision for the show from the get-go."
The show has a beautifully unique visual style. Supervising producer Rodney Clouten cited Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as a big inspiration for Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur — not just when it comes to telling stories about young Black superheroes, but also giving homage to the look and feel of comic books in the adaptation.
"Spider-Verse was definitely a jumping-off point in terms of giving us the wings to make something different, with an approach to graphically showing something," Clouden says. "So we leaned into the graphicness of the line quality of the characters. We also leaned into how you represent New York in the best light. So we play with texture and the aesthetics of Andy Warhol, Basquiat, Saul Bass, the UPA, and graffiti. We really wanted to play around with our inspirations and make it gritty and also graphic at the same time."
Marvel 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' celebrates the community of New York's Lower East Side.
Another important element for the producers was rooting Lunella in a strong family and community. She learns how to be a good hero from her older family members — even if they don't quite understand what she's up to — and her adventures involve supporting her neighborhood as much as beating villains.
"Lunella has a family-friendly situation," says Fishburne, who also voices the otherworldly Beyonder. "She's got a nuclear family that's intact: It's Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Pop, the roller-skating rink, her best friend Casey, her other best friend Devil, the community at large in little Lower East Side, and we just feel like there's something for everybody in our show, and we hope people enjoy it."
Clouden adds that the show's message to young viewers is "one girl can make a difference." "We want her to be inspirational and aspirational, so that whoever's watching this can take something from each episode and implement that," Clouden says.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is streaming now on Disney+, with new episodes airing every Saturday on the Disney Channel before later joining the streaming service.
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