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The Boondocks creator is bringing Black Jesus to Adult Swim.
The Turner-owned network has picked up a new half-hour live-action comedy series called Black Jesus from Aaron McGruder, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
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The new half-hour live-action scripted comedy finds Jesus living in present-day Compton, Calif., on a daily mission to spread love and kindness throughout the neighborhood with the help of his small but loyal group of downtrodden followers. Newcomer Gerald “Slink” Johnson (Grand Theft Auto V) stars as Black Jesus. Charlie Murphy (Are We There Yet?), Corey Holcomb (The Cleveland Show), Kali Hawk (Couples Retreat), Valenzia Algarin, up-and-coming comedian Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor, Andra Fuller (L.A. Complex) and The Boondocks‘ John Witherspoon round out the cast.
McGruder, who created the series, will executive produce via his 5 Mutts Productions along with Trailer Park Boys‘ writer-director Mike Clattenberg and LEG’s Norman Aladjem and John Bravakis.
Cult animated comedy The Boondocks ran for three seasons (45 episodes) on Adult Swim from 2005 to 2010. Adult Swim confirmed in January that the series — which featured a voice cast including Regina King, Witherspoon and Cedric Yarbrough, among others — will return in April for a fourth season. The series is based on a comic strip that originated at McGruder’s alma mater, the University of Maryland, College Park, and later appeared in The Source magazine.
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For Adult Swim, Black Jesus will join a roster of original programming that includes Dan Harmon‘s recently renewed animated series Rick and Morty; Black Dynamite; China, IL; Robot Chicken and The Venture Brothers, among others.
The series arrives as Adult Swim is poised to expand its primetime offerings starting March 31, when the adult-themed, late-night block starts its run an hour earlier at 8 p.m.
Black Jesus will premiere this year. A specific date and episode count have not yet been determined.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
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