Liam McIntyre has seemingly found the cheat code to becoming a video game adaptation staple.
After all, not only was he cast as the titular Logan in Marvel’s Wolverine, but the actor is also helping introduce Golden Axe and all its 1980s and 1990s Sega glory to new generations.
“Even if you, by some chance, weren’t born in the ’80s,” McIntyre joked in his exclusive SYFY Wire interview, “if you’re not familiar with the game, you aren’t suddenly excluded from the show. You can have a really good time, because it opens up the world a little bit.”
The Spartacus alum, who swung handheld blades in Ancient Rome and sports Weapon X’s trademark claws in the new Playstation 5 game, now wields a larger-than-life broadsword playing Ax Battler in the Paramount+ animated show’s homage to the console classic.
“Whilst it’s extremely fun and funny, if you love the games—it still honors that,” he assured. “It still has huge action sequences. All these little pieces from the game back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, from characters to jokes and animation references.”
Created by American Dad! vet Joe Chandler and Star Trek: Lower Decks mastermind Mike McMahan, the Golden Axe writers room had their work cut for them while breaking episode plots.
“I think it’s fair to say there’s not a ton of lore in Golden Axe, at least in the original,” McIntyre noted, “so they have a really good time taking what is there and turning it into a more complex lore.”
In doing so, they put Ax with Tyris Flare (Lisa Gilroy) and Gilius Thunderhead (Matthew Rhys) as they once again battle to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder. Meanwhile, their ranks are joined by the underprepared and overeager Hampton Squib (Danny Pudi).
McIntyre was impressed by McMahan and company’s ability to bring fantastical legacy properties to present-day audiences, thanks to humorous twists and serious fandom credentials.
“They’ve got such a great sense of comedy. Such a laugh-out-loud, off-the-page comedy,” he raved. “Mike is a bonafide Star Trek nerd. He’s the real deal. The guys that are writing Golden Axe—love Golden Axe. You can feel it.”
As is the norm with animation, McIntyre never actually recorded dialogue with Rhys, and they didn’t meet until their press tour, days before the Widow’s Bay star’s history-making run at the 2026 Emmy Awards.
In retrospect, McIntyre’s encouraging words at the time pale in comparison to Rhys’ double-fisting trophies by the night’s end. “‘Good luck out there,’” he joked while looking back on the moment. “I was like, ‘I hope you win or become the most successful actor in the history of acting. That could also be fun.’”
Season one of Golden Axe streams on Paramount+.
