Hulu today announced a series order for a revival of iconic animated hit King of the Hill, from 20th Television Animation, which will be created and executive produced by original co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, as well as incoming executive producer and showrunner Saladin Patterson.
Additionally, 3 Arts’ Michael Rotenberg and Howard Klein, and Bandera Entertainment’s Dustin Davis serve as executive producers of the show, which will take place in fictional Arlen, Texas, in present day USA.
The animated series will star original voice talent including Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, Johnny Hardwick and Lauren Tom.
The reboot has been in the works since the 2017 San Francisco Sketchfest, where Judge and Daniels reconnected with the cast and celebrated the 20th anniversary of King of the Hill.
The Emmy-winning series, which TIME named one of “The Greatest TV Shows of All Time,” ran for 13 seasons on FOX and now streams on Hulu.
King of the Hill depicted the suburban Texas world with faithfulness and love, presenting characters that were unusually complex and three-dimensional for a cartoon.
The show, set in the fictional Arlen, Texas, followed the life of Hank Hill (Mike Judge), an enthusiastic seller of propane and propane accessories; his wife, Peggy (Kathy Najimy), local Boggle champ and substitute teacher; and their 13-year-old son, Bobby (Pamela Adlon), who defies any expectation his father had for a son.
Hank’s friends – conspiracy theorist Dale (Johnny Hardwick), military barber Bill (Stephen Root) and cool but inarticulate Boomhauer (Judge), along with Peggy’s friends Minh (Lauren Tom) and meteorologist Nancy (Ashley Gardner), and Bobby’s friend Connie (Tom) help the Hills navigate a changing world.
“We are all so excited to welcome back Hank, Peggy and Bobby, and to see what they have to say about the world we live in and continue the conversations we began years ago,” said Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals.
“This show has all of the perfect ingredients to meet this moment in animation at Hulu, and we’re so thankful to be having those conversations alongside this talented group.”
“Yeah, man I tell you whot man, that dang Ol’ Greg, talking about ‘O.G.’ and then that Mike Judge … Inspirations, man … the original show, dang ol’ classic …” said showrunner and executive producer Saladin Patterson.
“Got my kids, man, walking around talking about ‘That’s my purse! I don’t know you!’ Feeling blessed, man, I tell you whot ‘Feel so Good’ is a great song, I don’t care what no-dang-body says …”
“I’m so lucky to have been a part of this show from the very beginning and couldn’t be more excited to visit Arlen, Texas, once again with Mike, Greg and Saladin, who together are bringing a whole new perspective to the original series,” said Marci Proietto, executive vice president, 20th Television Animation.
“We all want to thank the fans for their overwhelming support because they helped make this happen, and I can’t wait to share this new iteration through the lens of 2023 America. In the words of our beloved Peggy Hill: ‘Ho yeah!.’”
The original series received critical acclaim and accolades, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. The series has been translated into numerous languages and aired in 50 countries around the world.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.