Robert Downey Jr. may have left Iron Man and the Marvel Cinematic Universe behind, but that doesn't mean he's done with comic book-based projects. Downey is teaming up with former Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz to bring a new comic TV show to Netflix. Drawing characters from DC Comics, the series will be called Sweet Tooth.
Sweet Tooth is coming to Netflix with Robert Downey Jr., wife Susan Downey, and Arrow's Beth Schwartz on board as executive producers, with Schwartz also serving as co-showrunner and writer alongside Hap and Leonard's Jim Mickle. The show is also based on some relatively lesser-known characters from the pages of DC Comics, created by Jeff Lemire (who also wrote some Green Arrow comics), that could bring something fresh to superhero TV.
The new show will be a family-friendly production designed for broad appeal. Sweet Tooth chronicles the storybook adventure of a boy named Gus who leaves home after a cataclysmic event ravages the world. The twist? Gust is part deer/part boy, and he leaves the forest for the outside world.
After leaving the forest, Gus will join a family of humans and other human/animal hybrids to try and find answers in this new world. In the process, he'll attempt to solve the mystery of his own hybrid origins. According to Netflix, this post-cataclysm world will be a "post-apocalyptic paradise," so it's probably safe to say that this isn't a dark sequel to BoJack Horseman despite the animal twist.
Sweet Tooth already has filled out its cast, with Christian Convery of Beautiful Boy, Nonso Anozie of Game of Thrones, Adeel Akhtar of Les Miserables, Will Forte of Saturday Night Live, and James Brolin of Westworld as the narrator.
While Sweet Tooth will seemingly be a far cry from anything Robert Downey Jr. was part of for the MCU or that Beth Schwartz created for the Arrowverse during her time running Arrow, their experience with comic-based projects should be invaluable. Downey tweeted about the project and his involvement:
Even if all we have to go on for the visuals of Sweet Tooth is the silhouette in the image that Robert Downey Jr. tweeted, I think it's safe to say that Gus is going to be a pretty cute deer/boy hybrid. The show has received an order for a season running eight episodes of one hour each. Netflix hasn't announced a premiere date or premiere window for Sweet Tooth just yet, so Gus and friends might not make it to the small screen any time too soon.
The good news is that there are plenty of options to watch in order to pass the time. The 2020 Netflix premiere schedule can provide your upcoming options on the streamer. Netflix also offers all eight seasons of Beth Schwartz's Arrow, whereas Disney+ is the place to be to find Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man with no shortage of offerings from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
