Phil Lord and Chris Miller Announce Live Action/Animated Hybrid Series, Son of Zahn
Not content with their already impressive roster of upcoming projects, which include the DC Universe movie The Flash, writing The Lego Movie sequel, overseeing the development of the Jump Street universe, an animated Spider-Man film and their adaptation of The Greatest American Hero, Phil Lord and Chris Miler have now added animation/live action comedy Son of Zahn to that dizzying to do list.
The eight to ten minute pilot presentation for Fox follows the literally animated Zahn, a barbarian who returns home for the first time in ten years to his live action son and wife. He finds that reconnecting with his family, struggling through his mundane office job and dealing with the banality of suburban life is much harder than waging actual war in his distant, animated world.
It sounds suitably insane for a Miller/Lord project and comes tailor made with that same blend of high-concept comedy and rich emotional pay-off that made The Lego Movie such a striking film –Here’s hoping it’s more Who Framed Roger Rabbit than Cool World.
The pilot, which will begin shooting later this summer, has cast its first live-action role. Johnny Pemberton, who previously worked with Lord and Miller on both 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, will play Zahn's moody teenage son, Alan. Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. Seth Cohen will executive produce. Eric Appel will direct and co-executive produce.