Hulu Brings Howard The Duck, M.O.D.O.K., And More To New Marvel Animation Slate
by Erik Amaya
This is real life. Howard the Duck and M.O.D.O.K. are going to be television stars.
Hulu announced Monday morning a new slate of Marvel Entertainment animated programs aimed at adult audiences is headed for the streaming platform. Leading the pack is Howard the Duck. According to Deadline, filmmaker and regular geek raconteur Kevin Smith will develop the series along side Dave Willis. Meanwhile, Chelsea Handler will develop Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler; featuring the progressive hero and the stylish rock start mutant as they try to do good around Los Angeles. Josh Gordon and Will Speck will develop Hit-Monkey, based on the character created by Daniel Way and Dalibor Talajić, it sees the titular monkey attempting to eliminate the Tokyo criminal underworld. And in perhaps the most exciting element of the announcement, Happy!‘s Patton Oswalt and Jason Bloom are developing M.O.D.O.K. Based on the mobile organism designed only for killing, the series will see the supervillain deal with his “ego and family issues.”
And in a scheme which well sound quite familiar, the stars of all four shows will band together in a television special called The Offenders. All four shows — and The Offenders — will be executive produced by Marvel Television head honcho Jeph Loeb and the assembled talent mentioned above.
It seems the series will test the waters in bringing a Defenders style cycle to Hulu. As many have surmised, Hulu may eventually be the home of Marvel TV’s recently cancelled live action offerings like Daredevil and Luke Cage, though others have noted certain contractual obligations to Netflix may prevent these shows from returning as they were on that now-rival streaming service. Nonetheless, trying the cycle with animated programs seems like a good plan; particularly as these animated shows offer homes to Marvel characters not really suited for live action. Although, Tigra and Dazzler would be easy fits in the live action realm. But really, it finally gives M.O.D.O.K. the place in the sun he has always deserved.
So clap for M.O.D.O.K.
