‘Hoops’ First Look: Netflix Laces Up for Animated Basketball Comedy with Jake Johnson
Netflix is hoping for a slam dunk with “Hoops,” the streaming service’s upcoming animated basketball comedy. Netflix has unveiled a teaser trailer for the show, which will premiere its first season August 21.
Per Netflix, “Hoops” is an animated comedy sitcom that centers on a hot-headed, foul-mouthed high school basketball coach (Jake Johnson) who thinks turning around his god-awful team will take him to the “big leagues” and turn his miserable life around.
Speaking of having a foul-mouth, Netflix’s teaser trailer for the series indicates that “Hoops” is clearly part of the entertainment industry’s newfound fondness for adult animated comedies — “fuck” is the trailer’s most-used word by a considerable margin. And if the one-minute teaser is any indication, “Hoops” is shaping up to be a legitimately funny affair; the video consists entirely of Johnson’s hapless character attempting to land a shot while his incredulous team wordlessly watches from nearby.
Rob Riggle, Natasha Leggero, Ron Funches, Cleo King, and A.D. Miles will star in the series alongside Johnson.
Riggle will voice Barry Hopkins, Ben’s father and a former pro athlete-turned steakhouse owner who frequently insults his son and doesn’t respect him, though still wants what’s best for him. Leggero will voice Shannon, Ben’s estranged wife. She’s got a history of impulsive behavior and rash decisions, but has straightened up her life since leaving Ben and is focused on making her horse farm a success. Funches’ character, Ron, serves as assistant coach and Ben’s best friend who is the polar opposite of the hotheaded protagonist. King will voice Opal, Ben’s boss and principal of Lenwood High, while Miles will voice Matty, a 16-year-old seven-footer who struggles with his body and has a hard time making friends.
The show is created and executive produced by Ben Hoffman. Additional executive producers include Johnson, Seth Cohen, M. Dickson, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller.
Animated adult comedies are becoming increasingly common across Hollywood. WarnerMedia’s HBO Max has been particularly active in the space and recently released JG Quintel’s “Close Enough” on the streaming service. Other upcoming HBO Max animated adult series include “The Prince,” “Santa Inc.,” and a reboot of the classic “The Boondocks.” Netflix’s current offerings include “Big Mouth,” “Disenchantment,” “F Is For Family,” and “Midnight Gospel.”
Check out the teaser for “Hoops” below:
