In just one week, the Disney’s cult animated television series Phineas and Ferb will return to air after 10 years.
In the new, fifth season, Phineas, Ferb and their crew tackle another 104 days of summer and are set for exciting new adventures featuring some unforgettable milestones. While you can read our review for the new season here, our Editor-in-Chief Dempsey Pillot was given the opportunity to chat with one of the series’ stars, Vincent Martella.
What was supposed to be interview turned into a fun, hilarious 40-minute long conversation about the show, Martella’s career and more!
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Martella voices Phineas Flynn, one of the titular leads who aims to make the most out of his summer vacations.
While it may be one of his most popular roles, it’s certainly not his only one. Over the course of his decades-long acting career, he’s also starred as the right hand man to a young Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris. He’s played a pivotal role in a handful of DC Animation’s Batman films. And, as he puts it, he got the rare opportunity to “die twice” on The Walking Dead. He spoke to us about all of those things, but the main focus of the interview was, of course, the new season of Phineas and Ferb.
Before we even got to talking though, Martella need to clarify that although the new batch of episodes kicks off the show’s fifth season, he and the cast have actually, “been told not to say” that.
“We’ve been told not to say two seasons,” he said. “It’s 40 new episodes. I believe it’s because we don’t know how they’re gonna release it.”
He added it’s possible the studio will release the first 20 episodes now, and then the other 20 in a year. But he did clarify that each story is not technically an episode. Instead, each episode consists of two 11-minute stories. So technically fans will really be getting 80 brand new stories across all 40 episodes by the time the new season concludes.
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Those familiar with the series will know how much of a role technology plays in most plotlines. Especially with Dr. Doofenshmirtz constantly introducing new gadgets. With so many technological advancements being made since the show went off the air, you might think that the writers had a ton of inspiration. However, Martella says that the one constant that really fueled the show is the creativity that comes from just going outside.
”In 2007, 2008, when the show was coming out, something [the creators] of the show wanted to capture was what it was like when they were growing up, which was [going] outside and[going] on an adventure,” he said. “Not just sitting in front of the TV or playing video games.”
He added that he thinks the show is even more relevant now, saying that he hopes it inspires the next generation of kids to use their imaginations.
“Obviously it’s a lot harder to build a rollercoaster, but. I don’t know about you, but…I used to go in the backyard with my brothers all the time and just use our imagination and go on fake secret missions and find a reason to climb a tree and act like we’re in a fort, even though there’s nothing built there,” he said.
So, yeah. The main theme of Phineas and Ferb is really just to touch grass. Who knew?
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Now, joining the cast in this new season are stars such as Michael Bublé Meghan Trainor. However, Martella teased the appearance of some other top secret celebrities who have signed on to appear, but have yet to actually record their lines. When pressed for any sort of clue, all he could say was “an athlete.”
”It is someone [who] I have been begging Disney to let me record before or after this person so that I can bump into them in the studio because they’re like truly my favorite guest star we’ve ever had,” he said.
They will appear in the next batch of episodes Martella estimated will be released next year.
On the subject of celebrities, Martella also listed some names that he has tried to get on the show for years, and who will probably end up appearing at some point when their schedules align.
First was Paul Rudd. He and Martella actually starred together in the 2008 film Role Models. Second was Chris Rock, who he’s kept in contact with since Everybody Hates Chris.
On top of the new season, we asked Martella about one of the deepest cuts when it comes to the franchise: the live-action movie that never was.
In January of 2011, then president of Disney Channels Worldwide Gary Marsh announced development had begun on a feature film adaptation of Phineas and Ferb. Shortly after, it was revealed that the film would incorporate both live-action and animated elements. Creators Dan Povenmire and “Swampy” Marsh allegedly even began writing a script for the film. Shortly after, Toy Story 3 writer Michael Arndt was brought onboard to work on another draft.
A July 26, 2013 release date was set. However, in October of 2012, Disney moved the release date to 2014, And then in August of 2013, the film was removed from the studio’s release calendar forever.
When asked about this film, Martella admitted that he had heard about it, but that he was never given any other details…
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“I’ve heard a lot of things in the past,” he said. “I do remember that it was happening. I remember stories about it…There was so much info about it and then it just didn’t go anywhere. We just didn’t do anything.”
He then joked that because of the film’s failure to launch, he was skeptical if the revival was even happening. He said that even after the news of the show’s return broke, he didn’t sign a contract for another six or seven months!
However, Martella did find the silver lining. Despite the theatrical feature being erased, he says the show has reached a point where it can’t be erased.
“Being an evergreen show for Disney plus, how The Simpsons and how Family Guy and how SpongeBob [Squarepants] are. They have this thing that they can keep going forever.”
You can watch the full interview below!
