Matt Hatter Chronicles
Matt Hatter Chronicles is a British-Canadian-Indian animated adventure comedy television series created by Nigel Stone and produced by Platinum Films in association with Dream Mill and Arc Productions.[1][2] The series follows 13-year-old Matt Hatter, an ordinary schoolboy who relocates to London and uncovers his family's legacy as guardians of a portal to the Multiverse—a parallel dimension filled with realms inspired by classic cinema—where he teams up with allies Roxie and Gomez to battle super villains led by the evil Lord Tenoroc, using magical items from the ancient Chronicles book to save both worlds.[3][4] Premiering in the United Kingdom on Nicktoons in October 2011 and on CITV in March 2012, and in Canada on Teletoon on September 8, 2012, the show ran for four seasons comprising 52 half-hour episodes from 2011 to 2015, utilizing innovative 3D animation enhanced by the "Multivision" technique for glasses-free viewing.[4][5] A feature-length animated TV movie, Matt Hatter Chronicles: Rise of Primal, was released in 2018, continuing the story with Matt confronting the ancient villain Primal.[4] The series has been broadcast in over 80 territories worldwide and dubbed into more than 20 languages, earning acclaim for its high-energy action, buddy dynamics, and homages to film genres.[4][6]Premise
Core storyline
Matt Hatter, a 13-year-old ordinary schoolboy from New York, relocates to London with his family to assist at the Coronet Theatre, owned by his grandfather Alfred Hatter, only to discover that Alfred has mysteriously disappeared.[7][1] The theatre conceals a hidden gateway known as the Secret Screen, which serves as a portal to the Multiverse—a parallel dimension populated by living cartoon worlds and characters threatened by malevolent forces.[8][9] Inheriting his grandfather's legacy as a Hatter Hero, Matt assumes the responsibility of safeguarding this realm using the family's ancient magical artifacts.[10][11] To combat the escalating dangers, Matt assembles a core team comprising Roxie, his skilled tracker ally, and Gomez, his loyal keeper companion, enabling him to pursue villains who breach the boundaries between the Multiverse and Earth's reality, including incursions into real-world cartoons.[12][13] The primary antagonist, Lord Tenoroc, who has imprisoned Alfred and unleashes super villains to conquer the Multiverse, drives the central conflict, forcing Matt to wield Hatter artifacts like the Chronicles book and specialized tech to counter these threats.[10][11] Throughout the series, Matt grapples with the dual demands of maintaining a normal school life on Earth while fulfilling his heroic obligations in the Multiverse, often racing against time to prevent dimensional chaos.[3] The narrative unfolds through episodic adventures, each centered on thwarting a specific villain or securing a Hatter artifact, all interconnected by the overarching quest to liberate Alfred and thwart Tenoroc's domination of the cartoon realms.[14][1]Multiverse elements
The Multiverse in Matt Hatter Chronicles is depicted as a hidden, parallel dimension consisting of interconnected worlds inspired by classic cartoons, films, myths, and legends, serving as a vibrant backdrop for interdimensional adventures. This realm is accessed through a secret gateway located in the Hatter family's historic Coronet movie theatre in London, which acts as a portal bridging the real world and the Multiverse. The structure of the Multiverse emphasizes a balance between creative, stylized environments and the potential for corruption, with the Hatter family holding an ancient legacy as guardians tasked with preserving this equilibrium against disruptive forces.[3][15][7] Central to navigating the Multiverse are mechanisms like the Orb of Ix, an artifact that facilitates entry and travel between dimensions, often in conjunction with Hatter Mode—a transformative state that equips heroes with enhanced capabilities derived from specialized Hatter gadgets. In this mode, protagonists adapt to the unique physics and logic of each world, gaining powers such as flight or weaponry tailored to combat threats. Conversely, villains exploit the Multiverse's interconnected nature to corrupt realms, twisting idyllic cartoon landscapes into shadowy, dystopian versions that threaten to destabilize the entire structure. These rules underscore a core lore where harmony relies on swift intervention to prevent chaos from spreading beyond the dimensions.[16][17][4] Key locations within the Multiverse exemplify its diverse, hybrid aesthetic, blending 2D flatness with 3D depth to evoke classic animation styles. The Region of Ruins represents a medieval-inspired domain of knights and ancient ruins fraught with perils, while the Sea of Sands offers desert terrains where sand behaves like water for swashbuckling adventures amid treacherous dunes, and Carnival City provides a nocturnal carnival world with street performers and villainous traps. These environments highlight the Multiverse's thematic focus on archetypal storytelling realms, each governed by cartoon logic that amplifies heroic feats and villainous schemes.[18][19][20] The family's historical role, passed down through generations, positions them as eternal stewards, using inherited knowledge and artifacts to counter the entropy that villains introduce across the twelve constituent worlds.[15][21]Characters
Protagonists
Matt Hatter is the central protagonist of Matt Hatter Chronicles, a reluctant 13-year-old hero-in-training who discovers his family's legacy as guardians of the Multiverse through the Coronet theater portal. Skilled in skateboarding and acrobatics, he initially approaches his role with Earth-bound skepticism but evolves into a confident leader, relying on Hatter gadgets like the Vortex Sling to capture villains and navigate realms.[22] His development arc emphasizes growth from overconfidence and novice mistakes to strategic heroism, particularly after retrieving key artifacts like the Chronicles' power cog.[22] Roxanna "Roxie" Alexis serves as the tech-savvy 13-year-old tracker and inventor on the team, using her enthusiasm for Multiverse technology to locate threats and craft solutions during missions. She provides comic relief through her energetic personality and witty banter, while her unwavering loyalty to Matt strengthens their partnership amid high-stakes battles.[23] Roxie's martial arts proficiency and staff weapon, embedded with an amber crystal, complement her inventive role, allowing her to assist in combat and reconnaissance.[24] Gomez, the shape-shifting blob companion originating from the Multiverse, acts as the team's comic sidekick, mimicking objects and forms to aid in escapes and fights. Despite his timid nature, he offers crucial knowledge of Multiverse lore and demonstrates bravery when protecting his friends.[25] His abilities include temporary transformations and use of inherited weapons, making him an essential support in the trio's adventures. The protagonists' team dynamics begin with initial clashes stemming from Matt's skepticism toward the Multiverse contrasting Roxie's and Gomez's adventurous outlooks, leading to early tensions in coordination. Over the seasons, these evolve into stronger bonds through shared trials, fostering trust and collaborative strategies against threats like Lord Tenoroc.[23] This growth highlights themes of friendship and adaptation in the series.[26]Antagonists
Lord Tenoroc serves as the central antagonist in Matt Hatter Chronicles, an ancient evil entity imprisoned within the Coronet fortress who commands a vast array of supervillains to achieve his goal of conquering the Multiverse. Utilizing dark magic through artifacts like the Triple Sphere, he summons and manipulates villains to invade various realms and seize Hatter family technology that could facilitate his escape and ultimate domination. Often depicted as a ruthless mastermind, Tenoroc orchestrates schemes from his prison, directing his minions to target key locations across the Multiverse while exploiting weaknesses in the heroes' defenses.[27][7] Grimfang, a werewolf-like bounty hunter and loyal enforcer to Lord Tenoroc, possesses superhuman strength, enhanced tracking abilities, and the power to harness lunar energy via a cursed silver coin, enabling transformations and shadowy pursuits across realms. As one of Tenoroc's key lieutenants, he leads invasions into cartoon-inspired worlds, including Earth-based dimensions, relentlessly hunting Hatter artifacts to bolster his master's campaigns in multiple episodes. His feral design draws from classic horror tropes, emphasizing brute force and cunning ambushes in service to the overarching villainous hierarchy.[28] Among other prominent villains under Tenoroc's command, Captain Lightning is a swashbuckling antagonist wielding electric powers, capable of generating lightning bolts and electromagnetic storms to plunder Multiverse treasures, with his defeat often involving specialized Hatter gadgets that disrupt his charge. Icarus, a winged conqueror inspired by mythological figures, boasts flight capabilities, thorn projectiles, and solar energy blasts, aiming to subjugate aerial domains while his cartoonish avian design highlights vulnerability to anti-gravity tech. These villains form part of Tenoroc's structured hierarchy, where the lord acts as the supreme strategist, deploying such lieutenants to execute coordinated threats against the Multiverse's stability.[29][30]Supporting roles
Alfred Hatter serves as a key supporting figure in the series, functioning as Matt's grandfather and a veteran Hatter Hero whose legacy drives much of the family lore. He owns and operates the Coronet Theatre in London, which doubles as the earthly base for Hatter Hero activities and the gateway to the Multiverse. Alfred appears in pivotal episodes exploring family history, often depicted as trapped in a prison dimension by the antagonist Lord Tenoroc, thereby complicating missions with the added stakes of rescue and inheritance.[31][32] Matt's connections on Earth are primarily embodied by Marlon, a dwarf Tasmanian devil who acts as his loyal pet and best friend, providing grounding amid the heroics. Marlon offers comic relief through his insatiable appetite for junk food like popcorn and candy, while occasionally aiding in combat with surprising strength, such as in episodes where he assists against Multiverse threats spilling over to Earth. His chittersqueak language and laid-back personality contrast the high-stakes adventures, emphasizing themes of normalcy and friendship.[33] In the Multiverse realms, allies like elemental guardians or realm rulers such as the Council of Trees in forested domains provide localized aid, such as knowledge of ancient artifacts or defensive barriers against invading villains.[34] These supporting characters collectively underscore the narrative's exploration of contrasts between Earth's mundane routines—exemplified by theatre life and pet companionship—and the chaotic, peril-filled Multiverse, injecting humor through mishaps and elevating emotional stakes via familial ties and fleeting partnerships.[20]Voice cast
Main cast
The principal voice cast of Matt Hatter Chronicles features performers who bring distinct vocal styles to the core protagonists across the series' four seasons. Tommy Campbell, a Canadian-Irish voice actor based in London, provides the voice of Matt Hatter, delivering an energetic performance that captures the character's heroic enthusiasm.[35][36] He recorded his lines at studios in London for Seasons 1 through 4.[37] Campbell's casting contributed to the show's transatlantic appeal, reflecting its co-production across the UK, Canada, and India.[38] Larissa Murray, a Canadian voice performer who relocated to the UK, voices Roxie, infusing the role with youthful spunk particularly evident in scenes involving gadgetry and strategy.[35][39] Her contributions highlight Roxie's tech-savvy personality through lively intonation. Marcel McCalla, a British actor, lends his voice to Gomez, employing vocal effects and comedic timing to convey slapstick humor suited to the shape-shifting sidekick's antics.[35][40] McCalla's performance enhances the character's playful transformations with exaggerated expressions. Voice recording for the series was primarily conducted at Pinewood Studios in the UK.[41] The main cast reprised their roles in the feature film Matt Hatter Chronicles: Rise of Primal.[42]Recurring and guest voices
The recurring voice cast for Matt Hatter Chronicles features several actors who brought depth to supporting antagonists and allies across the series' four seasons. Kevin Eldon provided the voice for the primary antagonist, Lord Tenoroc, the tyrannical ruler of the Coronet villains who orchestrates multiverse threats in numerous episodes.[3] Ben Small voiced Craw, Tenoroc's loyal but bumbling minion, appearing recurrently as comic relief amid the action sequences.[3] Supporting characters from Matt's Earth life and Multiverse adventures also relied on recurring performers for pivotal moments. Dave Benson Phillips lent his voice to Marlon, Matt's mischievous pet Tasmanian devil.[43] While the series featured episodic villains and multiverse cameos tied to specific arcs, such as pirate or futuristic themes, no prominent celebrity guest stars were credited in major roles; instead, the ensemble drew from the core recurring talent for these appearances. The English-language voice recordings, primarily done at Pinewood Studios, served as the foundation for international adaptations, including dubs for markets like India and France, where local actors reinterpreted the supporting roles to fit regional audiences.[41]| Character | Voice Actor | Role Type | Notable Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lord Tenoroc | Kevin Eldon | Antagonist | Series-wide, leader of villains[3] |
| Craw | Ben Small | Supporting Antagonist | Recurrent minion, multiple episodes[3] |
| Marlon | Dave Benson Phillips | Supporting Ally | Matt's pet, multiple episodes[43] |