Turner’s Adult Swim — basic cable’s No. 1 destination for millennials for over 10 years — is evolving yet again, announce two new slates of programming in advance of Turner Upfront 2016 (set for May 18 in NYC). The channel has not only put together a diverse slate for the top-rated cable network, but also for AdultSwim.com, which has seen double-digit growth across multiple platforms and mobile gaming, including a 97% increase in web and app usage.
Adult Swim’s returning original animated hits Rick and Morty and The Venture Bros. will be joined by new on-air programming, including Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special, Brad Neely’s Harg Nallin’ Sclopio Peepio and the much anticipated return of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Samurai Jack and anime hit FLCL. Animated pilots include Lazor Wulf from Henry Bonsu and Daniel Weidenfeld (China, IL) and Chuck Deuce created by Chioke “Stretch” McCoy and Matt Iles, produced by music rep Jenn Tolman.
Beyond linear programming, an entirely new slate of original content created by channel staffers is set for AdultSwim.com, such as Stupid Morning Bullshit, Williams Street Swap Shop, Call of Karaoke and Development Meeting, as well as anime fan show Toonami: Pre-Flight and FishCenter.
“Adult Swim is a one of a kind destination that simply knows its audience,” said Christina Miller, President and General Manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. “Mike Lazzo and his team have always found new and interesting ways to produce and distribute content that can’t be found anywhere else.”
Returning original animated series: Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mr. Pickles, Robot Chicken, Rick and Morty, Squidbillies, The Venture Bros.
New animation acquisitions: Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Hunter X Hunter, Dimension W
Returning animation acquisitions: American Dad!, Bob’s Burgers, Cleveland Show, Dragonball Z Kai, Family Guy, Inuyasha: The Final Act, King of the Hill, Naruto: Shippuden, Oblongs, One Piece, Parasyte: The Maxim, Samurai Champloo.
New original animated programs & pilots:
Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special
In keeping with the tradition of working with major franchises such as Star Wars and the DC Comics universe, the Emmy®-winning team behind Robot Chicken joins forces with the creators of The Walking Dead to bring fans an all new and extra bloody half-hour special. Robot Chicken creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich and their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, will bring an animated zombie apocalypse to Adult Swim with The Walking Dead‘s creator/executive producer Robert Kirkman and showrunner/executive producer/writer Scott M. Gimple.
Samurai Jack
After 12 years, Jack is back. Original creator and executive producer Genndy Tartakovsky continues the epic story of Samurai Jack with a new season of half-hour episodes.
Brad Neely’s Harg Nallin’ Sclopio Peepio
A new quarter-hour animated sketch show created by Brad Neely (China, IL), Harg Nallin’ Sclopio Peepio features a collection of frenetic one-off bits, shorts and songs, all filtered through Neely’s signature visual style. Beware however, as this show hates you. Neely and Daniel Weidenfeld serve as executive producers, with Dave Newberg as co-executive producer and Titmouse, Inc. producing.
FLCL
Created in 2000, FLCL told the tale of Naota, a 12-year-old boy who met a woman that would forever change his life…whether he liked it or not. Sixteen years later, Adult Swim and legendary animation studio Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) are creating two new six-episode seasons to continue the tale, which will premiere in Adult Swim’s Toonami block. In the new season of FLCL, many years have passed since Naota and Haruhara Haruko shared their adventure together. Meanwhile, the war between the two entities known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity rages across the galaxy. Enter Hidomi, a young teenaged girl who believes there is nothing amazing to expect from her average life, until one day a new teacher named Haruko arrives at her school. Soon enough, Medical Mechanica is attacking her town and Hidomi discovers a secret within her that could save everyone, a secret that only Haruko can unlock. Back for the new season is FLCL series creator Kazuya Tsurumaki, serving as supervisor with director Hideto Iwai (Last Dinner).
Lazor Wulf
This quarter-hour animated pilot follows a wolf who carries a laser on his back and believes that love has no limit, that wearing do-rags gives you power and that Gawd is a lie. It was created by Henry Bonsu and written/executive-produced by Bonsu and Daniel Weidenfeld (China, IL).
Chuck Deuce
A half-hour animated masterpiece written by Lars Kenseth about Chuck, Chuck Deuce is about a NorCal slacktivist/surfer who paddles out to carve mavericks, when – GAH-DOOSH! – a giant wave crushes him.Three weeks later, he walks ashore with no idea where he’s been, how he survived, or why his brain is now ravaged by hallucinations – everything from conjoined CIA agents, talking sex dolls, and sock puppet headed freaks. Like his herpes, Chuck ignores it and returns to his daily grind of violating nudity bans, protesting decency laws and skirting home-yak-milking statutes in his native Santa Cruz. But the question persists, what happened to Chuck out there… and is it really over? Chuck Deuce is executive produced by creator Chioke ‘Stretch’ McCoy and Matt Iles, with Jenn Tolman serving as producer.
