How Among Us Season 1 Honored The Game’s Most Iconic Element

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Following almost ten years as a popular online game, Among Us is now a TV show. The show’s creators wanted to keep one important part of what made the original game so successful.

Based on Innersloth’s video game of the same name, the Paramount+ animated series revolves around the crew of the Skeld spaceship, as their intergalactic mission is suddenly thrown into chaos when they discover some members are being killed by a shapeshifting alien. No longer knowing who to trust, and facing an increasing body count, they must overcome their hilarious dysfunctions to find the Impostor before it’s too late.

Hailing from Infinity Train‘s Owen Dennis, Among Us features a star-studded voice cast including Critical Role vet Ashley Johnson, The Residence‘s Randall Park, Community‘s Yvette Nicole Brown, Hazbin Hotel‘s Kimiko Glenn, The Terror: The Devil in Silver‘s Dan Stevens and Lord of the Rings alum Elijah Wood, among others. Having made a surprise premiere on June 5, around the same time as the Summer Game Fest, the show is earning rave reviews from audiences and has been in the streamer’s Top 10 since.

Before the show launched, Ash Crossan from ScreenRant spoke with Owen Dennis, Yvette Nicole Brown, Elijah Wood, Randall Park, and Kimiko Glenn about Among Us. Dennis explained that, when adapting the game’s core concept of finding and eliminating the Impostor for a series, the most compelling stories “are driven by the choices characters make and are fundamentally about character.”

Some mystery games, like Clue, focus solely on who committed a murder, and once that’s solved, the game is over. But games like Among Us emphasize why a murder happened. This designer prioritized developing the personalities and motivations of the Skeld crew to create a more engaging experience and remain faithful to the original game.

Owen Dennis believes the key to keeping a murder mystery engaging is to focus on the characters involved. Instead of just asking ‘who did it?’, he suggests exploring why someone might have been murdered by delving into the feelings and circumstances surrounding the event. He found that giving each character their own secrets and independent lives—things happening alongside the murder—keeps the story fresh and adds complexity. The mystery isn’t just about solving a crime; it’s about untangling everyone’s personal lives too.

The Among Us Cast Avoided The Game Before The Show For A Unique Reason

ScreenRant asked me if playing Among Us brought back memories from a specific time in my life, and they were curious about when I started playing and what I enjoyed most about it.

I’ve only tried the game once, and I quickly stopped playing. The pressure of potentially disappointing fans and realizing I wasn’t up to the task was too much for me. I like the concept, but I just can’t handle actually playing it.

I actually haven’t played it, despite wanting to. I just never got around to downloading it. What makes it a little stressful is feeling like you need to perform well so you don’t let your team down. I’m a big gamer in general, but for some reason, this one passed me by. You’d think I would have downloaded it right after I got the role, but I didn’t! I know, I messed up.

ScreenRant mentioned picking up the game during the early days of quarantine, when many people were looking for ways to pass the time. They described it as a strange period where everyone found unique hobbies. They then asked what activities others were doing to keep themselves occupied during that time.

Yvette Nicole Brown traded baking during the pandemic for a nostalgic activity: building with LEGOs. She skipped the trendy sourdough starter and revisited a beloved childhood pastime instead.

Elijah Wood and his wife had a baby in September, so when lockdown began around five or six months later, they were busy with a young child. They also found time to relax and have fun playing the video game Animal Crossing, and they even got into baking sourdough bread!

Yvette Nicole Brown: Everybody did that starter. I just don’t have the bacon gene.

Red appears completely lost as a leader. It’s hard to understand how he got into a position of command. Can you share some background on his story?

When I’m cast as a character who’s a bit clueless, my first thought is always, ‘Why me?’ But honestly, I really connect with those kinds of roles. I especially relate to the idea of someone pretending to be in charge – like a ship’s captain – while secretly feeling lost and unsure. That’s something I experience a lot in my own life, so they really cast the right person for the part!

ScreenRant asked what my best memory was from making the movie, or what I enjoyed most about playing a captain and a gemologist.

Kimiko Glenn recalls feeling immediately after leaving on the day of the performance that it had been a blast. She thought it was surprisingly hilarious, and pointed out that each character had a funny or quirky trait that made the audience connect with them. She felt confident it would be a hit.

Randall Park: It was an adrenaline rush, but I think I came away from each recording session maybe a tiny bit traumatized. There’s something about doing live-action, where you’re in a scene, and then you look around, and there are all these people. You go to craft services, and take a break, you know? Whereas with animation, you’re in a booth, so you’re really just with your imagination and in this like bubble. I feel like all the fear and the high stakes stayed with me, particularly with this show. Each session damaged me, for sure. [Laughs]

Owen Dennis Already Has Ideas For Among Us Season 2 & Beyond

ScreenRant: There has been many a meme referencing the capitalist (or anti-capitalist) themes of Among Us, and the series delves into those in a way that feels particularly relevant. Can you break down Mira HQ’s worldview vs. the crewmates?

Owen Dennis believes the way Mira HQ operates reflects a disturbing trend in many companies today: a disregard for people in pursuit of profit. The ideal company, in their view, would make money without any costs – no employees, just a CEO. Every company is essentially striving for this unrealistic goal, which explains why layoffs often happen with little concern. Mira, according to Dennis, embodies this problematic approach, mirroring the companies we encounter daily. While everyone else is just trying to live their lives and earn a living – even if they don’t want to – these companies prioritize profit above all else. It’s an unfortunate reality of the modern workplace.

ScreenRant asked about the show’s impressive cast. They wanted to know if there was anyone the interviewer had specifically hoped to cast from the start, or anyone whose involvement was a pleasant surprise.

Owen Dennis: I wanted Elijah pretty early on, and I’ve had conversations with him in the past, so I knew that he was a fan of Infinity Train. I was really thankful when he wanted to jump on. I was also really happy when Ashley Johnson joined. I’ve worked with her a bunch before. Certain characters come up often in certain writers’ work. There is an angry teenage girl who lives in my brain, and she sounds like Ashley Johnson. I’m always like, “Yeah, this would be good, let’s get Ashley Johnson for this character!” That comes up a lot. Dan Stevens was really, really surprising. I first saw him in The Guest, and I was like, “This guy’s awesome.” I was very surprised that not only did he come in, but he just nailed it so hard. He’s like, “Yes, I know how to do the sexy, hot doctor.” But all the actors were so wonderful, and I’m so happy about them.

ScreenRant noted the episodes are enjoyable but leave viewers wanting more, and one season feels too brief. They asked about the long-term vision for the show.

We’ve definitely thought about continuing the show beyond the current season, and I’d really like to explore that possibility. I think we could approach future seasons in unexpected ways. It would be great to have a few more seasons – it’s fun to build a show over time and really develop the characters and stories. That’s why a lot of us enjoy older shows that had many episodes – like being able to watch a long series and get really invested. We appreciate shows with a good, long run; they’re just more enjoyable.

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2026-06-09 22:26