Hulu Upcoming Original Series: The company launches “This Fool,” a comedy series created by and starring comedian Chris Estrada, and expands its collection of unscripted true crime stories with new documentaries “Dead Man’s Dream” and the documentary series “Captive Audience.”
Premiere dates have been announced for “Dopsic,” the second seasons of “The Great One” and “Animaniacs,” and a fall lineup of unscripted cooking series, including “Baker’s Dozen,” “The Next Thing You Eat” and a special holiday edition of the award-winning Thursday night show “Taste of the Nation.”
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Aug. 6, 2021) – Today, during the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Hulu unveiled a lineup of upcoming original programming, including the highly anticipated new drama series “Dopsic,” starring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rosario Dawson; the second season of the acclaimed Emmy® Award-nominated comedy series “The Great One,” starring Ell Fanning and Nicholas Holt; the new comedy series “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez; and “Nine Perfect Strangers,” the newest limited series from executive producer David E. Kelly, starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in lead roles and as executive producers, all add to the company’s collection of original premium content.
The company also announced a series order for the new Hulu Original comedy series This Fool, inspired by the life of aspiring comedian Chris Estrada, in which he will also serve as writer, lead actor and executive producer. In addition, Hulu Originals’ highly successful collection of true crime original series is joined by two new films – Dead Asleep, a documentary from award-winning director Skye Borgman, and Captive Audience, a documentary series that explores the evolution of true crime stories through the lens of one family’s journey.
“We are incredibly excited to add Chris Estrada to our roster of multi-hyphene creators and introduce ‘This Fool’ to our viewers,” said Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.
Looking ahead, we add, “We couldn’t be more proud of the lineup of event series airing on Hulu through the end of the year and beyond. Led by the debut of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ from the brilliant David E. Kelly and a truly stellar cast, and “Building Murders Only,” which marks the return to television of Selena Gomez and two comedy giants, Steve Martin and Martin Short, as well as the incredibly timely “Dopsic,” the return of the acclaimed comedy series “The Great One” and a rapidly expanding lineup of interesting discussion-free series and documentaries, Hulu viewers will have access to many of the best shows coming to television this fall.
With 41.6 million live and SVOD subscribers as of April 3, 2021, Hulu has gained significant momentum over the past year, with the streamer recently receiving 25 Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, 10 Golden Globe Award nominations for five titles, four SAG Award nominations, six WGA Award nominations and seven NAACP Image Award nominations.
Hulu launches “This Fool” comedy series
The plot of “This Fool” centers on Julio Lopez, by his own description a “punk bitch” who still lives at home and goes out of his way to help everyone but himself. Inspired by the life and stand-up comedy of star and co-writer Chris Estrada, this cinematic half-hour comedy explores Julio’s work at a nonprofit gang rehabilitation organization and his quest to overcome co-dependency issues with his family as well as his navigation of working-class life in South Central Los Angeles.
“This Fool” is written and produced by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Jake Weissman and Matt Ingebretson. Jonathan Groff and Fred Armisen also serve as executive producers on the series. ABC Signature is producing the series.
Hulu is expanding its collection of unscripted true crime films with new documentaries “Dead Asleep” and the documentary series “Captive Audience”
“Dead Asleep.”
Co-produced with Sky Crime, “Dead Asleep” is a groundbreaking approach to the true-crime genre and flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more disturbing mystery: Did a remorseful Randy Herman, Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover-up? Pulse Films was given exclusive access to Herman and his family, defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists covering the case, forensic psychiatrists and world experts on violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of this controversial crime.
Dead Asleep is produced by Pulse Films and directed by award-winning Skye Borgman, creator of the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and who recently worked with Pulse Films on a special edition of Oxygen, The Case Died With Her. Pulse Films executive producers include Marisa Clifford, Nelesh Dhand and Sunshine Jackson. For Sky U.K. Jack Oliver and Poppy Dixon will also serve as executive producers.
“Captive Audience.”
In 1972, seven-year-old Stephen Steiner mysteriously disappeared on his way home from school. Nearly a decade later, his dramatic return to his family prompted warnings about the dangers of strangers in the 1980s, legislative reforms, and one cult film,2 which turned the family’s ordeal into a premiere mini-series that was watched by 70 million Americans. When the credits rolled and the film ended, it closed one tragic chapter in the family’s life but opened another.
This limited documentary series explores the evolution of true crime stories through the lens of the 50-year journey of one family and two brothers, one considered a villain and the other a hero. It’s about how truth becomes history and history becomes truth on television, in the justice system and in our minds.
Captive Audience is directed by Jessica Dimmock (Netflix’s “City of Flint” and “Unsolved Mysteries”) and produced by Wonderburst and High Five Content. Executive producers are Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Jen Casey and Andrew Jacobs, along with Mike Larocca, Todd Macurat, Nick Gilhool and Peter Riveschl.
Hulu announces premiere dates for “Dopsic,” the second seasons of “The Greats” and “Animaniacs” as well as a collection of new foodie series – “Baker’s Dozen,” “The Next Thing You Eat” and “Taste The Nation: Holiday Edition” – will debut on Thursdays this fall.
“Dopsic.” – series premieres Wednesday, Oct. 13.
The “Dopesick” series, created by executive producer Danny Strong and starring Michael Keaton and executive producing, tells the story of how one company sparked the worst drug epidemic in American history. The series will take viewers to the epicenter of America’s fight against opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma to a distressed Virginia mining township to the corridors of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Defying all odds, the heroes will defeat the insidious corporate forces behind this national crisis and their allies in a tense and exciting struggle. The limited series is based on the New York Times bestselling book by Beth Macy.
The eight-part series stars Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Will Poulter, John Hoogenacker, and Caitlin Devere and Rosario Dawson. Guest stars include Phillipa Soo and Jake McDorman.
The script for “Dopsic” was written by Emmy Award winner Danny Strong (“Empire,” “Recount,” “Game Changed”) and directed by Academy Award® winner Barry Levinson (“Paterno,” “Rain Man”). Executive producers for “Dopsic” include Strong, John Goldwyn (“Dexter”), Keaton, Levinson, Warren Littlefield (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Fargo,” “The Old Man”), Beth Macy (“Dopsic”) and Karen Rosenfelt (“Twilight”).
“The Great One” – Season 2 premieres Friday, Nov. 19
In the second season of the series “The Great One,” Catherine finally takes the Russian throne into her own hands, but if she thought it was hard to pull off a coup against her husband, it’s nothing compared to the realities of freeing a country that doesn’t want it. She will fight her court, her crew, even her own mother (played by guest star Gillian Anderson) in an attempt to bring Enlightenment to Russia. At the same time, she will struggle with her heart as Peter slowly transforms from hated husband to prisoner? An ally? A lover? In the end, Catherine learns that in order to change her country, she must be allowed to change herself, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming “Great” will require more of her than she ever imagined.
The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Holt, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sasha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.
“The Great One” is created, written and produced by Tony McNamara, and executive producers include Marian McGowan, Mark Weinmaker, Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Brittany Kahan Ward of Echo Lake, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spalding, Josh Kesselman of Thruline and Ron West and Matt Schuckman. The project is produced by Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television.
“Animaniacs” Season 2 premieres Friday, Nov. 5
Holy crap, season two! Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation have once again joined forces to bring you The Animaniacs. This Emmy Award-winning animated series, and one of the most talked about shows on Hulu on social media, returns with 13 new episodes on Friday, November 5.
Yakko, Wakko and Dot return in a new season of this iconic, family-friendly series that has something for everyone: pop culture parodies, musical showstoppers, taking down historical villains and even important safety tips. Join the Warners and Pinky and the Brain to wreak havoc everywhere they go, from the Warner Bros. station to an international beauty pageant and even into outer space. Don’t miss season one favorites Starbox and Cindy, as well as some of the Animaniacs characters who stayed behind the scenes.
Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer of the series, and Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Amblin Television co-presidents Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey also serve as executive producers. Wellesley Wilde serves as showrunner and executive producer. Gabe Swarr serves as co-executive producer. “Animaniacs” is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.
“Baker’s Dozen” premieres as a series, Thursday, Oct. 7.
In each episode of “Baker’s Dozen,” enthusiastic amateur bakers will go head-to-head with seasoned professionals. Join hosts Tamera Mowry-Housley (Emmy Award-winning host of “The Real,” “The Masked Singer” on FOX and “Christmas Comes Twice” on Hallmark) and Bill Yosses (author and former White House pastry chef) in this fast-paced competition that will determine the best baker of all! Which of the 13 bakers has what it takes to create the next viral sensation, win the golden rolling pin and take home the cash prize?
“The Baker’s Dozen” is produced by Sandy Varo Jarrell, Suzanne Rauscher, Justin Ray Barnes, Tara Seiner and Scott Mlodzinski for Bright Spot Content, an All3Media America company.
“The Next Thing You Eat” series premieres Thursday, Oct. 21.
“The Next Thing You Eat,” a six-part documentary created by chef David Chang and Oscar winner Morgan Neville, explores the seismic changes taking place around us and their implications for how we will eat in the future. Chang and a variety of characters will dive headfirst into the events to come, including everything from robots, lab-grown fish, and insect farms to the artificial intelligence that will control everything.
The executive producers are the creators of the Emmy®-nominated “Ugly Tasty” and showrunner Dominic Musacchio.
“Taste of the Nation: Holiday Edition” season premiere, Thursday, Nov. 4
On “Taste of a Nation,” host, executive producer and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi, who recently received her third Emmy Award nomination, takes a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food cultures of various immigrant groups and seeking out the people who have influenced so much of what American cuisine is today. From Native communities to recent immigrants, Padma breaks bread with Americans across the country to uncover the roots and connections between our food, our humanity and our history – ultimately revealing stories that challenge notions of identity, belonging and what it means to be American.
This fall, “Taste the Nation” returns with a special four-episode “Holiday Edition,” where each episode will highlight unique traditions through the lens of different immigrant cultures and cities, such as Korean New Year in Los Angeles and Cuban Christmas in Miami.
“A Taste of the Nation: Holiday Edition” is produced by Padma Lakshmi and David Shadrack Smith of Part2 Pictures.
ABOUT HULU.
Hulu is a leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand movies, with and without commercials, in and out of the home. As part of Disney’s Media & Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers instant access to current shows from all major U.S. TV networks and libraries of hit TV movies and shows. Broadcast networks, libraries of hit TV shows and movies, and acclaimed original Hulu series such as the Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Tale and The Act, the Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series Rami; and the Emmy-nominated Pen15alongside hit series Little Fires Everywhere with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, Normal People, The Great, Hillary and Solar Opposites; the Oscar® and Emmy-nominated documentary Minding the Gap, the Golden Globe Award-winning and Oscar-nominated The United States Vs. Billie Holiday,” as well as the critically acclaimed original Hulu films “Palm Springs, Run” and “Happiest Season.” The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks all in one place. Upcoming original releases include the crime-inspired comedy “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, and the book adaptation “Nine Perfect Strangers,” starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.
