James Evao (franchise)

James Eavo is an American animated video game franchise created by Todd Harvey Norman and Mark Hupp. The franchise first debuted in 1992 with the video game called James vs. the Military in which Norman voiced the titular character with Hupp voicing his friend Henry and the military soldiers. As of February 2020, the game currently has four games with an upcoming one. It also has an movie aimed for an 2022 release.

James vs. the Military (1992)
James vs. the Military is the first game in the James Eavo franchise developed, animated, and voiced by Todd Harvey Norman and his partner Mark Hupp. The game’s synopsis follows a man named James trying to defeat the Military after they’ve captured his friend, Henry. The game was met with positive reviews for a start to a franchise.

James and the Battle with the Giant Spider (1998)
James and the Battle with the Giant Spider is an 1998 American comedy animated video game and the second game in the James Evao franchise once again developed by Todd Harvey Norman and Mark Hupp. The game follows James as he gets kidnapped by a giant spider which will be hard to do. The game once again received positive reviews from critics.

James’ Trip to Japan (2007)
James’ Trip to Japan is an 2007 American animated comedy video game devloped by Todd Harvey Norman and Mark Hupp with programming by Hupp’s teenage son who learned about programming in program school. The game follows James going on a trip to Japan after winning plane tickets to the popular country where ninja’s challenge him to a fight.

James on Halloween (2020)
James on Halloween is an 2020 American animated comedy video game developed by partners Todd Harvey Norman and Mark Hupp. It is the fourth video game in the James Evao franchise created by Norman and Hupp. The game follows James finds a costume to go on halloween but shortly after, it gets stolen by a criminal and now James has to get it back.

James and the Racers (2025)
TBD

Film
In 2015, Mark Hupp confirmed that a James Evao film was in development at Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures. He later reported that Travis Knight would be directing the film with Brad Bird as the film’s producer. He also confirmed it would be animated / live-action. Todd Harvey Norman and Hupp will reprise their positions as producers with John Krasinski as the voice of James. The film has been currently aimed for a 2022 release in October.

Voice cast

 * Todd Harvey Norman as James
 * Norman also voices the President.
 * Norman also voices a robot.
 * Norman also voices a stickfigure.
 * Norman also voices the general of the military.
 * Mark Hupp as Henry
 * Hupp also voices the Military soldiers.
 * Frank Welker as The Giant Spider
 * Ken Watanabe as Su-Jô
 * Jackie Chan as Mo-Pöé

Production
In 1992, Norman, along with his partner Hupp, created a video game franchise called James Eavo, battling many characters. Hupp had thought of the idea of creating a game called “James vs. the Military” in 1991 as the start of a new franchise created between the 1990s and the 2010s. A new game called James and the Battle with the Giant Spider was planned as of early 1995 and released in 1998. After that, no more James Evao games were made, but since fans wanted more, a new game called James’ Trip to Japan was released in 2007.