As part of IGN Fan Fest 2026, series creator Genndy Tartakovsky stopped by the IGN studio to talk all about the return of Primal, the challenges in resurrecting its main character Spear.
“What really gets amped up in the third season, I think, is the, really, the emotional stakes,” Tartakovsky told IGN. “I think they’re even bigger than anything that we’ve done. Because you’re invested already in the character, there’s a stress and anxiety right at the beginning. That’s the feedback I’ve been getting back from people that watch it and that’s great. The dream is to have people care for your characters.”
One of the big challenges was bringing back Spear, who fans might remember met an unfortunate end at the hands of a Viking chieftain. Tartakovsky explained the decision to bring him back.
“Basically, I thought, at the end of Season 2, that was kind of it and I wanted Primal to be kind of everlasting,” he said. “And so I feel like I’m finished with it, but then after I take a little break, I realized, ‘Oh no, it’s still so fresh.’ And then the response is really strong, and then you start to think about, I just spent 20 episodes getting to create these characters, and for people to really like them. And then I kill one off, and then it’s the end of the show.
“I realized it’s too early, and what do I do now? Basically this idea popped up. Initially, the idea’s almost like a joke but as I started to think about it, all these amazing story elements and emotional elements came out. For everything that I’ve ever done, I’ve always just trusted my gut, and my instincts said ‘this is good.’ I talked to the team and pitched it to everybody, and everybody was on board.”
Watch Tartakovsky talk more about Spear, ideas he had for an anthology series, and who would survive in the world of Primal between Dracula, Samurai Jack, or Dexter, in the video above.
This is just the latest news from IGN’s Fan Fest 2026 – check the schedule to see what else is coming and to keep up to date on all the latest from the worlds of entertainment and games.
Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.
