Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen To Lead HBO Max Animated Series

May 8, 2020

A couple of weeks after the forthcoming streaming service acquired the Seth Rogen-starring comedy An American Pickle, HBO Max is partnering with the 38-year-old actor and comedian Sarah Silverman for a new animated comedy series Santa Inc., according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Created by Alexandra Rushfield (Shrill), the series will be an adult animated comedy centering on Candy Smalls (Silverman), the highest-ranking elf at the North Pole, and when the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, she looks to achieve her ultimate dream of becoming the first female Santa in the history of Christmas.

“Sarah and Seth are the perfect comedy duo for this empowering and very funny animated series shepherded by the hysterical Alexandra Rushfield,” Scott Herbst, head of scripted development at Lionsgate, said in a statement. “We look forward to diving into the world of animation with our Point Grey partners, and to bring the holidays to HBO Max in a totally unexpected and fresh way.“

The project is set to be produced by Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver through their banner Point Grey Pictures, which has a multi-platform content deal with Lionsgate, who are also attached to the project. Rushfield, Silverman, Amy Avi and Rosa Tran are attached to the series to executive produce.

“I have long dreamed of a taking a beloved holiday tradition and adding a feminist agenda and some R-rated comedy, and when I read this script from Ali, with Seth and Sarah attached to voice, I knew that it was a perfect fit for us at Max,” Suzanna Makkos, HBO Max Executive VP Original Comedy and Animation, said in a statement.

Santa Inc. joins a growing roster of adult animated series in development at the forthcoming streaming service, which includes a revival of the previously Adult Swim adaptation of the Aaron McGruder comic strip The Boondocks, season two of Gen:Lock and a Gremlins prequel set in 1920s China.