MTV Bringing Back Gory Claymation Classic 'Celebrity Deathmatch' | Revolver

MTV Bringing Back Gory Claymation Classic 'Celebrity Deathmatch'

Rapper Ice Cube will executive produce and head up new voice cast

Though no studio network is attached yet, MTV Studios have resurrected their late-Nineties claymation series Celebrity Deathmatch, which infamously pitted famous folks, like Marilyn Manson vs. Ricky Martin (see below) and Ozzy Osbourne vs. Elton John, against each other in blood-soaked splatstick wrestling bouts. Ice Cube will serve as executive producer and lead the new vocal cast. The project last attempted to make a comeback in 2015 via MTV2, but the network declined to fund new episodes. According to Hollywood Reporter, the success of The Real World's revival after it was picked up by video on-demand service Facebook Watch inspired the reboot. MTV are pushing several of their now-vintage titles for similar pickups, including Daria, Aeon Flux and Made.

MTV president Chris McCarthy issued a statement on the series' reemergence, citing a growing relationship between Ice Cube's film and television production company Cube Vision and the network. Cube already produces Hip Hop Squares for MTV partner VH1 and was behind Ice Cube film titles like Next Friday, Friday After Next and Barbershop. "Deathmatch was the meme before memes," says McCarthy, continuing that the show "remains a hot topic on social media and will be a smart, funny way to tackle the over-the-top rhetoric of today's pop culture where it belongs — in the wrestling ring."