FOX continues to expand its commitment to primetime animation with an order for an all-new animated comedy, Universal Basic Guys/The Hoagie Bros. (wt), from creators Adam and Craig Malamut (Sports Friends, Game of Zones, The Champions) for 2024. The series will be co-produced by FOX Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television, with FOX Entertainment’s Emmy Award-winning Bento Box Entertainment serving as animation studio. The creative pair will also executive produce. The announcement was just made by Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, of FOX Entertainment.
According to the network, the series centers on brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies, who suddenly find themselves with no jobs when the Glantontown Hot Dog factory switches over to automation. Lucky for them, the town started a radical Universal Basic Income pilot program, giving all residents of Glantontown $3,000 per month with no strings attached. Now, Mark, Hank and the rest of their local buddies are once again kids in the summertime, overflowing with the perilous combo of free time and stupid ideas. This is a show about men trying to find purpose in a world where they’re no longer needed.
Regarding the order, Thorn said, “Adam and Craig are two of the boldest and most irreverent voices I know. This series’ distinct point of view could only come from a talented multi-hyphenate team that writes, animates, and voices their work like no one else. And in the tradition of the incredible creators who have been a part of our storied Animation Domination lineup, the Malamuts have an intrepid DIY mentality that has allowed them to create some of the funniest and most surprising characters we’ve seen in a long time.”
The Malamut brothers, from South Jersey, are self-taught animators who write, direct, voice act, sound edit, and compose music for animated cartoons they’ve been producing together since 2012. Their first animated show, Sports Friends, ran for two seasons on Yahoo Screen. This led to an exclusive in-house role at Bleacher Report, where they created seven seasons of Game of Zones. Throughout its run, Game of Zones received multiple Sports Emmy Award nominations and won numerous awards, including a Grand Clio, the highest honor at The Clio Sports Awards. During their time at B/R, Adam and Craig grew the animation department from two to 25 people. They were the major creative force behind Bleacher Report’s other hit shows such as The Champions, Gridiron Heights and many other cartoons that became viral sensations shared by sports fans across the world. After six years at B/R, the brothers have moved on to to venture beyond sports and pursue their dream of creating an original animated series for television.
Source: FOX Entertainment
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
