If you’re a fan of The Legend of Vox Machina or the sprawling world of Critical Role, get ready — the next animated chapter is on its way, and it’s shaping up to be even more powerful, darker, and emotionally gripping.
Amazon Prime Video and the Critical Role’s cast just dropped the first look at The Mighty Nein, the upcoming animated series based on Critical Role’s second D&D campaign. And from what we’re seeing, this isn’t just Vox Machina 2.0 — it’s a whole different beast.
New Setting, New Vibe: Welcome to Wildemount
While Vox Machina unfolded in the lands of Tal’Dorei, The Mighty Nein shifts the focus to Wildemount, a colder, more politically charged continent. Here, three major powers — the Dwendalian Empire, the Kryn Dynasty, and the Clovis Concord — are constantly vying for control. Tensions are high. Secrets run deep. And the people caught in the middle? They’re the ones we’ll be following.
This isn’t a story of united heroes leaping into battle. This is a slow-burn tale of misfits, loners, and morally complex characters just trying to survive, and maybe, accidentally, do some good.
Meet the Mighty Nein!
Let’s talk about the heart of the series — the characters. Unlike Vox Machina, who pretty much hit the ground running as a team, The Mighty Nein are more like strangers on a bumpy road trip. Some are emotionally closed-off, some are hiding huge secrets, and a few aren’t exactly hero material.
The crew includes:
- Nott (voiced by Sam Riegel): A jittery goblin rogue with a heartbreaking past.
- Caleb (Liam O’Brien): A fire-wielding wizard wrapped in guilt and trauma.
- Beau (Marisha Ray): A hard-hitting monk with trust issues.
- Jester (Laura Bailey): A chaos-loving cleric with a sweet tooth and a sharp wit.
- Fjord (Travis Willingham): A warlock with a mysterious patron and a lot of inner conflict.
- Mollymauk (Taliesin Jaffe): A charming blood hunter with a secret or two.
- Yasha (Ashley Johnson): A stoic barbarian whose silence hides great sorrow.
Each cast member from the original campaign returns to voice their character, continuing the deep roleplaying and chemistry fans fell in love with.
First look at Jester (Bailey), Caleb (O’Brien), Nott (Riegel), Fjord (Willingham), Beauregard (Ray) and Mollymauk (Jaffe).
Why This Series Feels Different?
In a recent interview from Entertainment Weekly, Travis Willingham — who voices Fjord and also serves as an executive producer — gave us some insight into what makes The Mighty Nein unique:
“We like to scratch all sorts of itches. With The Legend of Vox Machina, we started with our heroes altogether at once. We really want to buy into who these characters are from The Mighty Nein and how they come together slowly — as pairs, sometimes staying lone wolves for as long as possible, and really fighting for what it is they’re looking to achieve in the story. That’s the thing that really is going to separate Mighty Nein from Vox. You’ll see all of them fighting for their own goals and really resisting working together as a team for quite a long while.”
This series is about earning the title of “party.” It’s not handed to them. And that emotional tension? That’s where the real story lies.
Political Intrigue and Fan-Favorite Allies
One of the standout characters teased in the first look is Essek Thelyss, a mysterious drow wizard whose tangled morals and involvement in a high-stakes artifact theft make him both a wildcard and a critical piece of the story. Longtime fans will know there’s a lot to unpack with Essek — and it seems the show will lean into his complexities.
Behind the scenes, expect more world-building, Cold War-style politics, and a lot more emotional fallout than we saw with Vox Machina’s rowdier crew.
First look at Essek, voiced by Mercer.
Visuals That Match the Mood
The animation style will feel familiar to fans of The Legend of Vox Machina, thanks to returning studio Titmouse, but the palette and tone are clearly more grounded. The images released so far give off strong “gritty fantasy with heart” energy — shadowed landscapes, pained expressions, and quiet moments between big battles.
We’ve already got a first look in animation a few months ago, showing Jester (Bailey) and Fjord (Willingham), giving a lot of hype to the Critters!
Ties to Vox Machina? Yes… but Not Required!
Though set in the same universe, The Mighty Nein stands on its own. The events take place decades after Vox Machina, and while there may be nods for eagle-eyed fans, you don’t need to have seen the first series to enjoy this one.
Still, showrunner Tasha Huo hinted that there will be some “fun intersections” between the shows — so stay tuned.
When Can We Watch?
There’s no official release date yet, but buzz is building fast. Expect more news (and probably a teaser or full trailer) to land around San Diego Comic-Con.
The Mighty Nein is shaping up to be more than just a follow-up — it’s a deeper dive into what makes characters tick, how unlikely friendships form, and what happens when people try to outrun their pasts.
Whether you’re a longtime Critter or brand new to the world of Exandria, this next chapter looks like it’s going to hit hard — in all the best ways.
Are you excited for The Mighty Nein? Which character are you most looking forward to seeing in animated form? Tell us in the comments below!
