Mitch Hurwitz, who created FOX’s brilliant-but-cancelled cult hit comedy Arrested Development, is reportedly taking the plunge into animation. According to Daily Variety, he is reinventing the Australian sit-com Sit Down, Shut Up as an animated series for the FOX network in the U.S. Hurwitz is writing and exec producing the project for Sony Pictures Television, Granada USA and Tantamount, a co-venture between Hurwitz and fellow exec producers Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.
Sit Down, Shut Up takes place at a dysfunctional, small-town high school where self-indulgence on the part of the faculty interferes with the educational process. FOX, which is trying out a number of new animated comedies, will decide whether or not to move forward based on a table read.
The TV ratings and home video success of The Simpsons and Family Guy has FOX eager to launch the next prime-time animated hit. Also in development at the network are the Family Guy spin off Cleveland, the animated reincarnation of the short-lived sitcom The Pitts, Relative Insanity from exec producer Jack Black, and Mothballs from Drawn Together creators Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser.
