Y: The Last Man - What We Know So Far

Few Hollywood projects of late have both thrilled and frustrated comic book lovers quite as much as the adaptation of "Y: The Last Man."  

On one hand, those fans are thrilled over the prospect, as "Y: The Last Man" is indeed being adapted from Brian K. Vaughan's graphic novel series of the same name — which is considered by many to be among the best comics of the 20th Century. However, those same fans of Vaughan's books have also become increasingly frustrated, as the long-awaited adaptation's road to the screen has been dicey, to say the least. 

Hopes were bolstered dramatically a couple of years ago when extended cable powerhouse FX picked up rights to adapt "Y: The Last Man" for the small screen, even getting a pilot episode shot before the project once-again hit the skids. Seems FX brass has righted the production's unsteady ship, as the series is finally beginning to take tangible shape. In fact, it is even prepping to make its world premiere on FX. Here's everything we know about the upcoming "Y: The Last Man" series so far.

For those who have been following the development of "Y: The Last Man" over the years, the production has been plagued by too many starts, stops, delays, and re-imaginings to recount here. That includes the first iteration of FX's planned series, which was essentially rebuilt from the ground up after an unexpected shake-up in the showrunner seat (via Entertainment Weekly), and the subsequent recasting of several of the show's central roles after that pilot was shot (also Entertainment Weekly).

Thankfully, it seems FX bosses are finally getting the series they envisioned with the revitalized "Y: The Last Man," as it was almost instantly ordered-to-series after the completion of that second pilot episode. The rebooted version began shooting late in 2020, and it would seem production has gone smoothly even in pandemic times, with FX recently announcing that "Y: The Last Man" fans would finally lay their eyes on the series later this year. And according to Collider you can go ahead and circle Monday September 13, 2021 as the day Yorick Brown and his beloved Capuchin companion Ampersand begin their epic journey through a most unexpected apocalyptic landscape.

It may come as a surprise, but the central role of Yorick Brown was actually among those recast for the second "Y: The Last Man" pilot, as original star Barry Keoghan exited the series early in 2020. Ditto for two of the other series leads — Yorick's sister Hero (originally played by Imogen Poots), and his tough-as-nails guard Agent 355 (originally Lashana Lynch). 

Thankfully, series producers were able to fill those roles with actors every bit as intriguing, bringing Ben Schnetzer ("Warcraft") aboard as Yorick, landing Olivia Thirlby ("Juno," "Dredd") for the role of Hero, and nabbing NOS4A2's Ashley Romans for the coveted role of 355.

Filling out the esteemed cast of "Y: The Last Man" is one of the few holdovers from the original pilot, screen legend Diane Lane, who will portray Yorick's and Hero's mother, congresswoman Jennifer Brown, in the new series, along with the familiar faces of Amber Tamblyn ("The Ring"), Marin Ireland ("The Umbrella Academy"), and Juliana Canfield ("Succession").

If you're among those who've yet to dive into the wondrous world of Brian K. Vaughan's "Y: The Last Man" books, you need to get on that — because they're every bit as riveting, whip-smart, hilarious, and heartfelt as you've likely heard. Also, as the series ran for just 60 issues, it's actually a fairly brief read.

As for what it's about: "Y: The Last Man" explores the post-apocalyptic aftermath of an unknown global event that instantly killed every living mammal with a Y chromosome, save for two: a low-level magician and general slacker named Yorick Brown, and his pet capuchin monkey, Ampersand.

In that decimated landscape, the future truly is female. While certain factions are exceedingly glad to be rid of the men, Yorick's survival understandably becomes vital for that of humankind. As such, he's trekked all over the globe under the protection of a bad ass special agent to meet with scientists desperate to understand how he survived, and what it might mean for the future of humanity. En route from one location to the next, Yorick, 355, and a revolving door of hangers-on encounter friends, foes, and burgeoning new societies too wild for words. While the FX series will no doubt tweak Vaughan's narrative here and there, viewers can undoubtedly expect a thought-provoking thrill ride depicting a world at once seeming to linger on the brink of extinction, and full-blown rebirth.