Robbie Amell And Stephen Amell Describe The Inspiration Behind ‘Code 8'

First unveiled in 2016, “Code 8” was only a mere short video with an attached Indiegogo campaign asking for $200,000. Now, following pledges equaling a little over $2.4 million and even a spin-off “Code 8” series in the works, Stephen Amell and Robbie Amell have successfully birthed their passion project from idea to feature film.

Known for their roles in the CW’s “Arrowverse,” the Amell cousins aren’t new to Hollywood. Yet, as revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stephen doesn’t see himself as a more in-demand actor, despite the renown of his Green Arrow role.

“People aren’t lining up to offer us jobs, necessarily,” said Stephen. “I’ve loved working on ‘Arrow,’ but there’s also been a few times where I felt like I’ve represented the project but I wasn’t in control or didn’t have certain say in things that ultimately, if things go well it reflects on me, and if they go poorly it reflects poorly on me even if I’m not necessarily in charge.”

On adapting “Code 8,” Stephen explained that, unlike on “Arrow,” he and his cousin “were the bosses.” There weren’t any rules or production requirements. “Code 8,” for the pair, was pure sweat and blood, their own story brought to life without any roadblocks, aside from initial funding.

Alongside the Amells, the “Code 8” cast also includes Kari Matchett, Greg Birk, Sung Kang, and Aaron Abrams. The story tracks a group of superpowered individuals in a world where metahumans aren’t respected or adored but discriminated against. Living impoverished, the superhumans must often perform crimes in order to survive.

Enter Robbie’s character, Connor Reed, who’s ailing mother (Matchett) has piling hospital bills that neither can pay off. Garrett (Stephen) offers him a solution, one that is criminal in nature but rewarding in the long run. Their eventual criminal escapades attract the attention of a highly dangerous task force.

“Part of it was we just needed to create something for ourselves,” Robbie explained to EW. “We figured if we weren’t willing to take a bet on ourselves, then why should we expect anyone else to?”

In “Code 8,” while also fusing inspiration from movies like “District 9,” “Heat,” and “Chronicle,” Robbie also harkened back to his superhero series “The Tomorrow People.”

“In both projects, the sci-fi is the entertainment part but ultimately you’re trying to find the grounded side of things and the relatable side of things,” said Robbie. “That’s what we wanted to dive into with ‘Code 8,’ we wanted it to be a story that everybody could relate to and the sci-fi to blend into the background.”

“Code 8” debuts in select theaters and on VOD Dec. 13.