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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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Mad God

Mad God is a 2021 American adult stop-motion animated film written, produced, and directed by Phil Tippett.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Mad God is a 2021 American adult stop-motion animated film written, produced, and directed by Phil Tippett. Completed after roughly 30 years of intermittent work, it premiered at the Locarno Festival in 2021 and was released in the United States by Shudder in 2022.

Premise

The film follows a masked assassin descending into a grotesque, nightmarish underworld filled with creatures, ruins, and violent imagery. Sources describe it as an experimental fantasy or horror work with little conventional narrative structure.

Production

Mad God was conceived and directed by Phil Tippett and made over a period of about three decades. Tippett Studio describes the film as fully practical and handcrafted, with sets, creatures, and environments built and shot in the studio.

Release

The film premiered at the Locarno Festival in August 2021 and later received a limited United States release via Shudder in June 2022. It has also been distributed in home-video formats.

Reception

Critical responses emphasized its unusual visuals, stop-motion craftsmanship, and disturbing atmosphere. Reviews noted that it is intentionally abstract and not structured like a conventional story-driven feature.

Key facts

  • Mad God is an American adult stop-motion animated film by visual effects artist Phil Tippett.
  • The film was completed in 2021 after about 30 years of development and production.
  • It premiered at the Locarno Festival on August 5, 2021.
  • Its United States release was on June 16, 2022 through Shudder.
  • The film is known for having little or no conventional dialogue or plot.
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Canadian context

Mad God has relevance to Canadian readers mainly as an internationally distributed independent film available through streaming and home-video channels, but it has no clear Canada-specific production or setting connection in the provided sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mad God?
Mad God is a 2021 American adult stop-motion animated film written, produced, and directed by Phil Tippett.
Who made Mad God?
Phil Tippett made Mad God; he is credited as writer, producer, and director.
How long did Mad God take to make?
Sources state that it took about 30 years of intermittent work to complete.
When was Mad God released?
It premiered in 2021 and was released in the United States on June 16, 2022.
Does Mad God have a conventional plot?
No. Reviews describe it as lacking a conventional storyline or dialogue.
What genre is Mad God?
It is generally classified as horror, fantasy, animation, and experimental adult stop-motion film.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_God
    Supports: Basic identification, 2021 completion, premiere date, and U.S. release date.
  2. Tippett Studio — https://www.tippett.com/portfolio/mad-god/
    Supports: Official description, handcrafted practical stop-motion production, and Shudder availability.
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mad_god
    Supports: Director, producer, screenwriter, runtime, genre, and release information.
  4. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/16/movies/mad-god-review.html
    Supports: Critical description, lack of conventional storyline or dialogue, and runtime.
  5. RogerEbert.com — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mad-god-movie-review-2022
    Supports: Film description, lack of conventional plot, and release timing.