Critical Role‘s latest episode gave fans a new opening title sequence — one that brought the Bells Hells’ action to life in stunning animation.
The Halloween episode, which saw Critical Role’s cast dressed as Lord of the Rings characters, would have already constituted a special occasion for fans, as it saw the Bells Hells return to Whitestone and encounter several beloved Vox Machina characters. However, Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer bestowed an additional gift on fans when he threw to the brand-new credits animated by Kamille Areopagita, Kevin Areopagita, Mark Adams and Peggy Shi. Critical Role‘s Mighty Nein campaign, reuniting in select theaters this week, featured a fan-favorite animated intro, and audiences had often expressed interest in seeing the Bells Hells receive a similar treatment.
This marks the third iteration of Campaign 3’s opening credits, with each version utilizing the cast-sung theme song “It’s Thursday Night.” The first version of Campaign 3’s intro featured the cast dressed as explorers, capturing the spirit of the show without the aid of the usual fantasy ephemera. A stepping stone between the live-action and current animated intro came in the form of the Bells Hells rotoscoped, watercolor opening salvo.
In addition to the new animated opening, Critical Role released a video of the cast reacting to the sequence for the first time on social media. The animation highlighted moments from each character’s backstories, plus nodded to ongoing campaign dynamics such as Laudna and Imogen’s romance and Ashton’s captivating chaos-bursts. Many Campaign 3 NPCs likewise make animated appearances, including Otohan Thull, Ludinus Da’Leth and Captain Xandis.
Critical Role and animation have gone hand in hand over the years, with Vox Machina receiving an animated series with Prime Video and the streamer developing an additional adaptation for the Mighty Nein. While Bells Hells fans are hoping Prime Video’s deal will extend to Critical Role’s third campaign, their appetites can remain temporarily satiated with the animated action brought to life in the show’s exciting new intro. The next step in Bells Hells’ ongoing journey, and thus the next appearance of the pre-show animated introduction, won’t come until November as the cast breaks for The Mighty Nein Reunion: Echoes of the Solstice and the final investigation of Candela Obscura’s Circle of Needle and Thread.
The Bells Hells return in both their animated and non-animated player character forms on Thursdays in November at 7 PT on Twitch and YouTube.
Source: Critical Role via YouTube
