
For years, the superhero genre has dominated Hollywood, with actors like Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson becoming household names through their roles in Deadpool and Black Adam respectively.
But as both actors step away from their respective Marvel and DC characters, they’re venturing into an unexpected new universe—one filled with intergalactic bikers, robotic warriors, and long-forgotten Saturday morning cartoon heroes.
The Nacelle Company, best known for The Toys That Made Us, has acquired the rights to a collection of retro properties, including Biker Mice From Mars, RoboForce, Sectaurs, Power Lords, and Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. These franchises, which once thrived as action figure lines and animated series in the ‘80s and ‘90s, are now the foundation of an ambitious shared universe: the NacelleVerse.
Ryan Reynolds is leading the charge with a new animated reboot of Biker Mice From Mars through his company, Maximum Effort, in collaboration with Nacelle and Fubo. Biker Mice From Mars, a cult-classic animated series from the ‘90s, follows three motorcycle-riding alien mice—Vinnie, Throttle, and Modo—as they battle the evil Plutarkians. Reynolds’ enthusiasm for the project is clear. “Some people know that I am a motorcycle enthusiast, so it was only natural for us to jump on board Biker Mice From Mars,” he told Deadline in 2023 when the project was announced.
Meanwhile, per Deadline, Dwayne Johnson is stepping into the world of RoboForce, an ‘80s toy line that never quite reached mainstream success. The upcoming animated series, produced by The Nacelle Company and Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, follows heroic robots designed to fight evil and uphold justice. The project is being developed for Tubi, with Johnson and longtime business partner Dany Garcia serving as executive producers.
Check out the very retro-inspired official intro and theme song for the new series below:
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While these animated reboots are grabbing headlines, Nacelle is also expanding the NacelleVerse through a growing line of comic books. The first wave of releases, dubbed “NacelleVerse: Year One”, includes “NacelleVerse 0”, “RoboForce”, “Biker Mice From Mars”, and “Sectaurs”. The next major release, “Power Lords”, has just hit shelves, with “Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa” expected to follow soon.
What sets the NacelleVerse apart from other shared universes is its commitment to nostalgia while creating fresh, interconnected storytelling. The comics have begun weaving together the various franchises, hinting at crossovers that could later be expanded in animation or other media, perhaps even live-action films.
For Reynolds and Johnson, joining the NacelleVerse marks a shift away from their high-profile superhero roles. With Reynolds’ future in the MCU uncertain and Johnson’s Black Adam unlikely to return following DC’s restructuring, their involvement in Nacelle suggests a move toward something entirely new—bringing forgotten characters back to life and introducing them to a modern audience.
The success of the NacelleVerse remains to be seen, but with two of Hollywood’s biggest stars at the forefront, it’s certainly off to a promising start.
For more information about the NacelleVerse, check out the official Nacelle website.
Are you excited to see Reynolds and Johnson take on these classic characters? Let us know in the comments below!