‘King Of The Hill’ Creators Mike Judge And Greg Daniels Will Executive Produce A Disney Animated Series

Disney’s Freeform is making a push into animation and has given a greenlgiht to Praise Petey (working title).

Freeform is diving headfirst into the animated space.

The series will be executive produced by King of the Hill creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels.

Though Judge and Daniels are EPs through their company Bandera Entertainment, Praise Petey is created by Saturday Night Live head writer Ana Drezen.

The series is being produced by Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television Animation. Animation service studio is Shadowmachine (Bojack Horseman, Final Space, Tuca & Bertie, Robot Chicken). Shadowmachine cofounder Alex Bulkley will executive produce. Production begins early next year.

Other EPs on the series include Drezen, Monica Padrick (Central Park), and Dustin Davis (of Judge and Daniels’s Bandera Entertainment).

Freeform is eyeing animation as a new growth area. The basic cable channel is now the syndicated home for Family Guy, and it is actively developing other animated comedies. Shows in development include SupaShawty Girls (creators: Adamme & Adanne Ebo), Wallflower (creators: Julia Edelman, Danielle Uhlarik, Olivia de Recat), and Funkamatic BangBang. All will be produced by Disney’s 20th Television Animation to create a pipeline of animated programming.

Freeform’s head of originals Jamila Hunter recently told The Hollywood Reporter that “developing animation for Gen Z fans of that genre is part of [Freeform’s] strategy. . . Our lens on all our shows is to put a Gen Z millennial lens on any story.” Hunter says that the network is in constant communication with Disney-owned streamer Hulu since the series will also appear on that service. Hunter adds that though they’re focusing on YA characters, the shows are designed for family or co-viewing to fit in with the overall Disney brand.  Animated shows take longer to produce. The success will be what gets us able to do more. We have to learn more about how our audience responds on linear and on Hulu.”

Praise Petey revolves around Petey (played by Schitt’s Creek Emmy winner Murphy), a New York City “It” girl who has it all until her life comes crashing down. As luck would have it, a mysterious gift from her father gives her a new lease on life as she “leans into” modernizing his small-town cult. Cho plays Bandit, a cult member and love interest. Clemons is Petey’s BFF. Baranski voices Petey’s mother. Hill is Bandit’s mother. Root is Petey’s father.