The Line of best fit*
*And by fit we mean bodies, 'cus goddamn look at those shoulders. Anyway, this is a piece about the animated trailer for Hades 2.
by Toussaint Egan
We're mere days away from the launch of the 1.0 version of Hades 2. First announced in December 2023 and launched into Early Access on May 24, the follow-up to Supergiant Games' 2020 hit original is easily one of this year's most anticipated games (and that's really saying something.) Supergiant Games announced the game's 1.0 launch date with a stunning animated trailer showcasing protagonist Melinoë's struggle as she goes above and below to fend off a two-pronged assault on her Olympian family by primordial forces bent on revenge.
Unlike the game's first (and similarly impressive) announcement trailer, which was produced by Georgia-based Studio Grackle and directed by Spencer Wan (2017's Castlevania, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), the 1.0 launch trailer for Hades 2 was produced by London-based, BAFTA-nominated animation studio The Line and directed by Lou "Louve" Sarfati Karnas, whose previous animation credits include the 2022 Love, Death & Robots short, "Kill Team Kill."
The trailer is appropriately witch-y, as Melinoë and her mentor/surrogate mother Hecate circle a bubbling cauldron of emerald pitch as the former readies herself to wage battle against the Titan Chronos and another powerful, mysterious entity assailing the depths of Hades and the heights of Mount Olympus, respectively. The animation is hypnotic, especially in the case of Melinoë herself, whose back muscles visibly flex and stretch with anatomical precision as she readies her Sister Blades to swiftly dispatch a horde of demonic adversaries. Atlas wishes he had shoulders like these!
Since its founding in 2013, The Line has diligently amassed a reputation as one of the go-to studios for promotional animation across the entertainment industry, amassing a portfolio of high-profile clients like Nickelodeon, Riot Games, Marvel Entertainment, Blizzard Entertainment, Digital Extremes, Sanrio, Gucci (yes, that Gucci), and the Gorillaz, who tapped the studio to produce the series of music videos at the crux of the band's 2020 experimental audiovisual album Song Machine. The studio is also hard at work on developing its own original properties, including a feature-length film based on its 2019 short The Mighty Grand Piton and a series based on its 2015 live-action hybrid short Amaro and Walden's Joyride.
And more Hades 2 shots~
— Denimcatfish (@denimcatfish.bsky.social) 2025-09-18T10:25:25.909Z
Following its debut during this month's Nintendo Direct, multiple artists and animators who worked on the trailer, including Kathryn Layno (aka "denimcatfish"), Meryl Franck, and Lucien (Ana Kindzake) have shared samples and clips of their work, offering a much-appreciated glimpse into the craft and creative process that went into the character models, weapons, and composition of its production. At the risk of sounding redundant, I have to emphasize just how hard Layno snapped on animating Melinoë's shoulder blades and back muscles. Good Lord.
The Hades 2 trailer is an exquisite example of just how far the studio has come in its decade-plus existence. From the dynamic close-ups of its action shots to its breathtaking environments both high and low, The Line's minute-and-a-half animation is a tribute boon worthy of the gods, and an apropos prelude to Hades 2's full release on September 25.
You can find more of The Line's work on its website and official YouTube page.