WWE superstar Big E Langston (real name Ettore Ewen) is one of the brand's most beloved superstars following his time in The New Day, so it's not too surprising that fans are willing to help out when he asks. The WWE SmackDown! wrestler recently celebrated his 35th birthday with the awesome update about an exciting television project that he's trying to make happen. Fans were quick to jump on the crowdfunding effort and help Big E's dream become a reality, so much so that it's already reached its goal.
After only a week of crowdfunding, Big E Langston's Our Heroes Rock! had soared past its original goal of $75,000 to fund a pilot episode, which feels like quite the encouraging birthday gift, as it were. As the synopsis gets into below, the series will seek to make the stories of prominent black figures in American history more accessible to a wider audience.
Conceived as a hip-hop odyssey through Black History, Our Heroes Rock! is an animated series that shines a spotlight on history’s unsung Heroes of color through infectious music, stunning 3D animation and a family-friendly, sci-fi-flavored narrative designed to appeal to both parents and kids alike. Created by Ettore Ewen (WWE Superstar 'Big E'), award-winning artist and narrative designer Jonathan Davenport and award-winning sports and cultural historian Andreas Hale, Our Heroes Rock! has one simple goal, to create an educational vehicle that’s so visually and musically appealing that audiences would watch it regardless of the content. Our aim is to place American Heroes such as Medgar Evers, Ida B. Wells and Nina Simone in the same historical echelon reserved for George Washington, Thomas Edison and Neil Armstrong.
Our Heroes Rock! is set in a futuristic museum, in which a robot named E-Tour (voiced by Big E Langston) will guide children through exhibits that tell the narrative of prominent black figures in history. The stories will be told using both hip-hop and rhyme styles, with an emphasis on educational value in order to encourage use in the classroom. The pilot's first subject will be activist Ruby Bridges, the first Black female to desegregate an elementary school in the South back in 1960.
Though Our Heroes Rock! has already reached its initial goal, it still has just under a month to take in more donations. Big E Langston recently took to Twitter to thank fans who have already supported and say the team is looking to make a stretch goal of $150,000 happen, which would go towards producing a longer pilot and allow for the team to fulfill all their Kickstarter rewards. As it stands, the campaign has raised over $105,000.
Working with Big E on the Our Heroes Rock! pilot is graphic artist Jonathan Davenport, who has designed some of The New Day's most iconic ring gear over the years. Sports and culture historian Andreas Hale will be along for the ride, as will hip hop artist Rapsody. No talk yet about any plans for a full-length series, though given the early interest in the project so far, it wouldn't be surprising if a network or streaming service bites sooner rather than later.
Catch the high-flying action of WWE on USA Mondays with Monday Night Raw starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more about what's going on in the world of wrestling as of late, read up on all the stars as of late that have left the organization for its rival AEW.
