Not to be outdone by his buddy/rival The Rock, Kevin Hart is making moves to ensure he has his own television series on the way. Fox has ordered a pilot presentation for a potential animated series called _Lil Kev, _which would be based on the actor's comedy. The order is a sizable step forward for not just Hart and the show's crew, but for Fox as well, as the network has made clear its intent to add more animated projects to its programming lineups in the future.
Lil Kev tells the story of a short 12-year-old boy named Kev who uses his optimism and imagination to navigate the rough inner-city neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. Other characters include Kev's fiery-tempered mother, his drug-abusing father, his ex-con uncle, and a "wise-ass" talking dog. Essentially, this project is based on Kevin Hart's childhood, and how the comedian survived and surpassed his rough background through optimism and a unique outlook on life.
Lil Kev has a solid voice cast already attached, with Deadline listing Wanda Sykes, Keith Robertson, Gerald "Slink" Johnson and Deon Cole as lead voice actors, in addition to Kevin Hart himself. The series is written by The PJs and The Simpsons writer Michael Price, as well as Matt Claybrooks, who was a writer for Everybody Hates Chris. Both writers have a background in working on comedic television animations with prominent black comedians at their cores, as well as more general accomplishments, so the odds of this potential series getting a series order sound positive.
At the same time, Lil Kev is just one of several animated projects in development at Fox, so there's no telling which shows will get the green light when it comes time for the network to decide. For example, the network had also ordered a pilot presentation for a half-hour comedy series from actress Amy Poehler last summer, and while this doesn't necessarily mean Fox has to pick between the two, it does show Lil Kev is not the only project in development with big names attached. And there are even more in the works. Fox's entertainment president Michael Thorn didn't say which of the projects he's leaning towards, but indicated the network intends to ramp up its animated television programming, as the genre is considered a "staple" of what the network is all about.
I really want a new animated series, that's a huge priority. It's a such a strong part of our brand. I think what many people think of Fox is they think of our animated shows, and it would be great to add another original animated series to go with the three series we have on right now, The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob's Burgers. (Primetime animation) is so specific to Fox, we re the only ones who do it in broadcast, and I think we should continue to own that space.
Lil Kev hasn't been given a series order yet, so there's no word on when we'll hear the next big update. Keep an ear out, though, and for a look at upcoming television programming guaranteed to air in 2018, visit our midseason premiere guide.
