Olan Rogers Explained
Thomas Olan Rogers (born June 11, 1987) is an American comedian, actor, filmmaker,[1] and YouTuber.[2] He is the creator of the animated television series Final Space as well as the voice of Gary Goodspeed, Mooncake, and various others.
Career
Rogers started his career on YouTube alongside two Collierville High School and University of Memphis friends in the comedy trio BalloonShop,[3] known for their comedic sketches and shorts.[4] After transitioning to his solo channel, Rogers uploaded videos of his own sketches as well as humorous stories of his life, short films, and even several animated shorts.[5]
In 2015, after lamenting his inability to meet with fans as often as he liked,[6] Rogers opened a lounge called "The Soda Parlor" in Nashville, which offered arcade games and various desserts.[7] [8] The Parlor was later hit by a tornado in March 2020, and then looted in the aftermath.[9]
His channel reached 1,000,000 subscribers on March 26, 2019, but entered long periods of inactivity, which Olan later explained was a result of coming to terms with numerous personal troubles, including the destruction of the Parlor, and the death of his cat, Starscream.[10]
Final Space
In 2016, he created a pilot that became the animated television show, Final Space. The series followed a rogue astronaut named Gary, and his sidekick, a planet-destroying alien named Mooncake, both of whom Rogers voiced. 10 episodes were released between February and April 2018 on TBS. The series was later added to Netflix overseas.[11] A second season was released in 2019 on Adult Swim.[12] Season 3 premiered on March 20, 2021.[13] Rogers ran the social media accounts for the show, including the official Twitter account, calling it a "good opportunity" to connect with fans.[14]
However, in September of 2022, Rogers revealed that Final Space would be leaving Netflix internationally in 2023, as part of a group of properties being written off by Warner Bros. Discovery for tax purposes.[15] Due to this, Season 3 would not be receiving physical copies, and all mention of the show would be erased from the platform. Nevertheless, Olan promised that he would continue fighting for the show to get a proper ending, under the hashtag "#renewfinalspace".[16] [17] This eventually led to WB offering Olan a one-time license to publish a physical graphic novel for Final Space's ending.[18]
Godspeed and future plans
In June 2022, Rogers uploaded a trailer for his next project, an animation titled Godspeed, turning to Kickstarter to help fund it. The campaign was funded in just two hours, hitting 580% of its original goal.[19] [20] [21] The official Godspeed website later clarified that after various fees and cuts, the KS money could not fund a full length film, so it would be a single episode instead.[22] Production on Godspeed began on January 9, 2023.[23]
The final product featured voice actors such as Troy Baker, Claudia Black, Coty Galloway, and Rogers himself, described positively as having "some potential" and showing "another example of the appetite for independent adult animation."[24] [25] It premiered on YouTube on December 15.[26] Additionally, the Final Space graphic novel, which concludes his previous series, was also confirmed to release in 2024.[27] [28]
Following a rising trend of YouTube's older content creators stepping back from the platform in 2024, Rogers himself announced in February[29] that he would be moving on to other passions outside his usual content range. Rogers' new ventures include a stand-up special in collaboration with Patreon, and a ghost-hunting series with his longtime friend and BalloonShop co-creator Thomas Gore.
Filmography
Feature films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|
2011 | New Prime | Valavingee / Ferris / Daniels / Zak McSleuthburger / Bob | Also director, writer, producer, executive producer |
2016 | The Matchbreaker | Mitchell | |
|
Other media
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|
2007–2010 | BalloonShop | Himself | Also director |
2008 | "In a Cave" (Tokyo Police Club) | Himself | Music video; also director |
2011 | Annoying Orange | Meteortron | 1 episode only |
2014 | As Dreamers Do | Walt Disney | |
2015 | Oscar's Hotel for Fantastical Creatures | Box Death | |
2016–2017 | Mr. Student Body President | Mr. Bayblock | |
2017 | Ear Biscuits | Himself | 1 episode only |
2018 | Conan | Himself | 1 episode only |
2018–2021 | Final Space | Gary Goodspeed / Mooncake / Tribore Menendez / Biskit / Additional Voices | Also creator, director, executive producer |
2023 | Godspeed | Bowie | Also creator, writer |
2024 | Haunt Hounds | Himself | Also creator, director, executive producer |
TBA | Untitled project with Disney+ | | |
TBA | Untitled project with Amazon Prime Video | | |
|
Video games
Notes and References
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4541465/ Olan Rogers
- Web site: Boothe . Kelley . Above all, stay true . Nashville Post . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923174706if_/https://www.nashvillepost.com/magazine/above-all-stay-true/article_a1e45e1d-5728-5ede-b87c-4bacf0d5be1a.html . 23 September 2021 . en . 21 June 2015 . live.
- Web site: BalloonShop - YouTube. YouTube.
- Web site: Morrison . Jesse . Students find success on YouTube . The Daily Helmsman . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191227022347if_/http://www.dailyhelmsman.com/archives/students-find-success-on-youtube/article_1bc9afae-eb50-585e-a6a1-eeb77d6e231e.html . 27 December 2019 . en . 29 January 2008 . live.
- Web site: OlanRogers - YouTube. YouTube.
- January 3, 2015 . The Soda Parlor / LIFE . OlanRogers . . September 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201222195126/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6jHnqBqNuQ . December 22, 2020 . live.
- Web site: Williams . William . Soda Parlor set for October opening on east side . Nashville Post . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923173429if_/https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/retail/soda-parlor-set-for-october-opening-on-east-side/article_1371bbde-d6a1-5c84-9551-917d8272e9f2.html . 23 September 2021 . en . 30 August 2016 . live.
- Web site: The Soda Parlor - Nashville, TN.
- Web site: Soda Parlor Owner Says Restaurant Was Looted After Tornado Hit. Sutton. Caroline. NewsChannel5. March 3, 2020. March 3, 2020.
- September 14, 2020 . Keep Moving . OlanRogers . . September 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105020726/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8o_KJfjD-I . January 5, 2021 . live.
- Web site: Final Space on Netflix streaming: How to watch Final Space online. July 18, 2018.
- Web site: TBS Orders Animated Series From Youtube Star Olan Rogers, Conan O'Brien. Peters. Megan. ComicBook.com. December 2, 2016. December 2, 2016.
- Web site: 'Final Space' Review: It's Time to Catch Up on One of TV's Animated Sci-Fi Treasures. Greene. Steve. IndieWire. March 19, 2021. April 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210319221125/https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/final-space-season-3-review-hbo-max-catchup-1234624886/. March 19, 2021. live.
- Web site: 'Final Space' Creator on the Epic Sci-Fi Comedy's HBO Max Premiere, and the "Really Thrilling" Season 3. Miller. Liz Shannon. Collider. March 19, 2021. April 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210319170800/https://collider.com/final-space-hbo-max-olan-rogers-interview/. March 19, 2021. live.
- Web site: Warner Bros. Discovery Takes Major Tax Write-Down Amid Recent Content Cancellations. ComicBook.com.
- https://twitter.com/OlanRogers/status/1573686640094191617
- Web site: Final Space Creator Throws Shade at Warner Brothers for Using Canceled Series as Tax Write-off .
- Web site: I CAN FINISH FINAL SPACE!!!! . .
- Web site: Barnhardt. Adam. Final Space Creator Launches Kickstarter Campaign for New Show Inspired by Cancelled Adult Swim Hit. ComicBook.com. June 15, 2022. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230325224840/https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/final-space-last-season-godspeed-kickstarter-campaign/. March 25, 2023. live.
- Web site: Valentine. Evan. Final Space Creator to Launch New Show Following Record Kickstarter. ComicBook.com. January 10, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230119032659/https://comicbook.com/anime/news/final-space-creator-new-show-record-kickstarter/. January 19, 2023. live.
- Web site: Wallace. Lorna. Final Space: The Space Opera Series That Deserves Better. Tor.com. February 10, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230521043647/https://www.tor.com/2023/02/10/final-space-the-space-opera-series-that-deserves-better/. May 21, 2023. live.
- Web site: Godspeed Series Official Site.
- Web site: Alexa. Laurén. 'Final Space' Creator Starts Production on 'Godspeed'. AWN. January 16, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230203041956/https://www.awn.com/news/final-space-creator-starts-production-godspeed. February 3, 2023. live.
- Web site: Hartley. Edward. Olan Rogers on chasing the storm behind Godspeed. Toon Boom. December 14, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231215191727/https://www.toonboom.com/olan-rogers-on-chasing-the-storm-behind-godspeed. December 15, 2023. live.
- Web site: Billington. Alex. Official Trailer for Animated Sci-Fi Short 'Godspeed' from Olan Rogers. FirstShowing. December 11, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231212042759/https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/first-trailer-for-animated-sci-fi-series-godspeed-from-olan-rogers/. December 12, 2023. live.
- Web site: Sarto. Debbie Diamond. Lightfold Shares Olan Rogers' 'Godspeed' Trailer. AWN. December 12, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231213153147/https://www.awn.com/news/lightfold-shares-olan-rogers-godspeed-trailer. December 13, 2023. live.
- Web site: Salmon. Will. Cult Adult Swim animation Final Space returns as a graphic novel. Gamesradar. April 24, 2023 . December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230605091336/https://www.gamesradar.com/cult-adult-swim-animation-final-space-returns-as-a-graphic-novel/. June 5, 2023. live.
- Web site: Bonomolo. Cameron. Final Space Creator Olan Rogers Releasing The Final Chapter Graphic Novel. ComicBook.com. April 24, 2023. December 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230601080421/https://comicbook.com/comics/news/final-space-the-final-chapter-graphic-novel-olan-rogers-final-space-season-4/. June 1, 2023. live.
- Web site: This isn't Goodbye.. YouTube.