WB Discovery Offers Good News/Bad News In Adult Animation Slate For 2023
WB Discovery has had a week of good news/bad news from Annecy and while we’re cooking up something for a more in depth look at the bad news, here are the highlights of the news stories of what went down this week including a first look sizzle reel of whats coming to MAX over the next couple of years. Already getting positive glow, Scavengers Reign and Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim have both put on impressive screenings. We also got some merch news in the recently-removed from MAX Metalocalypse is getting a new home release of the complete series for both digital and home on August 15th, and a new Rick and Morty collection from Daylight Curfew.
Unfortunately, that last franchise mentioned is where the bad news is emanating from, as Steve Levy and Michael Ouweleen have noted in a French interview that despite the fact that Justin Roiland was found innocent of all charges stemming from assault allegations last year, that the show is moving forward attempting to find voices to replace all of the characters that Justin has voiced (Justin’s other big series, Solar Opposites, is expected to premiere in August with all 12 episodes dropping and that show is also expected to have a Justin Roiland replacement for “Korvo”). The seventh season is expected to hit this Fall 2023, with seasons eight through ten in various forms of production, delayed (hopefully forever) because of the WGA strike.
The bat-shit crazy logic for why Mike and Steve are continuing to replace Justin despite the show creator’s innocence is going to be part a of further deep-dive as we take to task everyone who was involved with the decision-making process at a later time, for now, we just want to get the news out there of what’s happening.
Back to good news, below is a sizzle reel of what’s coming to MAX down the road with sneak peeks of a slew of new and returning franchises which includes the hugely popular Velma, which is getting a second season sometime in 2024 (along with the already announced second season of Clone High which is currently in production), Harley Quinn which returns for a fourth season this summer, Harley Quinn spin-off Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, and Creature Commandos.
Ten Year Old Tom (Debuts June 29)
This series follows the misadventures of an average kid as he contends with questionable guidance from the well-meaning grownups around him. Being a kid is hard enough for Tom, but when bad influences seem to lurk around every corner – from litigious parents and drug dealing bus drivers to school administrators who want to sleep with his mom – it’s downright impossible. While the adults in Tom’s life certainly mean well, they just can’t manage to lead by example.
Voices include Steve Dildarian, Jennifer Coolidge, John Malkovich, Gillian Jacobs, Edi Patterson, Byron Bowers, and more, with David Duchovny returning as a guest star along with many others.
Executive Producers: Steve Dildarian (“The Life and Times of Tim”), Marty Adelstein (“One Piece”), and Becky Clements (“Physical”) for Tomorrow Studios, and Nick Weidenfeld for Work Friends.
Studio/Prod Co: Work Friends – a JV between Nick Weidenfeld (“The Boondocks,” “Rick & Morty”) and Tomorrow Studios. The animation is produced at ShadowMachine. ITV Studios handles international distribution.
Young Love (Debuts this Fall)
“Young Love” expands on the animated short “Hair Love,” which centered around the relationship between an African American father, his daughter Zuri, and the most daunting task a father could ever come across – doing his daughter’s hair for the first time. Filled with comedy and heart, the all-new Max Original animated series Young Love is an honest look into the world of the Young family – including millennial parents Stephen and Angela, their daughter Zuri and her pet cat Rocky – as they juggle their careers, marriage, parenthood, social issues and multi-generational dynamics, all while striving to make a better life for themselves.
Voices include Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Issa Rae, Loretta Devine, Harry Lennix, Tamar Braxton and Brooke Conaway.
Creator and Executive Producer: Matthew A. Cherry
Executive Producer: Monica Young for Blue Key Entertainment
Executive Producers: Karen Toliver and Carl Jones
Executive Producers: Carl Reed and David Steward II for Lion Forge Animation
Studio/Prod Co: Produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation.
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake
This all-new half-hour young adult animated series starring the fearless sword-wielding adventurer, Fionna, and her magical best friend and talking cat, Cake. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, the ten-episode series will explore their relationship and the mysterious land of Ooo. Fionna and Cake – with the help of the former Ice King, Simon Petrikov – embark on a multiverse-hopping adventure and journey of self-discovery. All the while a powerful new antagonist determined to track them down and erase them from existence, lurks in the shadows.
Executive Producer: Adam Muto
Studio/Prod Co: Cartoon Network Studios
Max Originals in development include:
Keeping Up with the Joneses
The Newberry’s struggle to hold onto their past glory while living in the shadow of Jerry Jones and their other rich neighbors in the wealthy Dallas suburb of Highland Park.
Writers/Executive Producers: Hugh Davidson, Rachel Ramras, Larry Dorf
Studio/Prod Co: Warner Bros. Animation
Anything Factory
From Tom Kauffman (“Rick and Morty”) Anything Factory follows Henry Zingo as he returns home to reconnect with his ailing father and help his sister manage the family business: A Wonka-esque factory riddled with ethics violations.
Created by: Tom Kauffman and David Seger & Spencer Strauss
Executive Producer: Tom Kauffman
Executive Producer: Searchlight TV
Uptown Bodega
Tati Cruz has inherited her father’s old Bodega and vows to keep the business booming in a fast changing Nueva York with the help of her husband, three kids, and Rocky the bodega cat.
Writers/Executive Producers: Oz Rodriguez & Lemon Anderson
Executive Producer: Peter Murrieta
Executive Producer: Greg Walter (3 Arts Entertainment)
Studio: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group
"There are also other characters that come and go (also owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery conglomerate media company)."
Huh. Is that just referring to other characters from the show itself, or is this implying that the new season is going to have cameos from other WBD IPs