“I was like, F—k you”: Primal Creator Genndy Tartakovsky Was Pissed Off at 1 Executive for His ‘Graduate’ Comment After Iron Man 2 Success

Genndy Tartakovsky doesn’t need to be told twice when it comes to animation. The medium of art is his second language and passion and the limits of all his artistic views and bottomless ambitions are contained within the constantly evolving stream. To make light of his work in the medium is to make light of his entire identity and his life’s work.

So Tartakovsky, in all seriousness, found it his mission to do justice by the medium of animation. From revolutionizing the art form in television to evolving his work with every successful project to setting himself up for a Miyazaki-esque reputation, Genndy Tartakovsky has redefined what passion can accomplish if it’s pure and determined enough.

Genndy Tartakovsky Redefines Modern Animation

The California Institute of Arts alum prospered in his long career in animation due to a mix of talent and good timing. The medium found a stretch of time when studio execs and creators were ready to try just about anything to launch themselves off the ground. Genndy Tartakovsky’s original and powerful ideas helped achieve just that.

However, the industry of media and entertainment often sidelines animation as kids’ TV. And that is where Tartakovsky’s animosity toward live-action comes in. In the days preceding the premiere of Primal (2019) which is now rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.5 on IMDb, Tartakovsky recalled a past memory that solidified his tentativeness toward live-action films.

In an interview with Polygon, he revealed:

“I do love animation and I’m not hunting for that live-action project. Animation isn’t a stepping stone for me, it is what I love. So that’s a big thing. I remember I had this meeting where I was getting a live action offer and the executive said, “All right. You’re ready to graduate?”

And I was like, “F—k you.” Sorry.

And that’s the way people, especially I think in features, think about animation even though it makes more money than most live-action movies. And the superhero movies are like cartoons basically. So there’s not a level of respect for what we do and so I’m always very tentative with live action because this is what I love.”

The incident, which surely soured Tartakovsky’s attitude toward live-action films however did not entirely affect his entire tenure. During the 2010s, after the success of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, the animator storyboarded action sequences for the anticipated sequel, Iron Man 2. Although much is not known about his contribution to the film, Genndy Tartakovsky is an artist who’s always on the lookout for his next creative endeavor that can immortalize him in the medium of animation.

Legacy of Genndy Tartakovsky in Popular Culture

Despite the many hurdles that make even the best and the brightest of us stumble, Genndy Tartakovsky takes them like a champion and comes out the other end a winner. With each project that he takes up, he gets better. Time, experience, and originality have blessed Tartakovsky in the endeavor to establish himself in the frontier of animation.

The auteur has used his visionary approach to establish a legendary portfolio that includes work such as Samurai Jack, Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and Batman: The Animated Series (uncredited). Primal — a feature that is as bold as it is unbelievably ambitious – allowed Tartakovsky to spread his wings further.

Moreover, the animator has also been involved in 2 projects currently in the pipeline with Sony, titled Fixed – an R-rated comedy starring Adam DeVine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen – and Black Knight – a samurai drama in the veins of Samurai Jack – since the studioʼs keen to explore the new format after the success of Spider-Verse.