EXCLUSIVE: Wheelhouse DNA, Canada’s Frederator Studios and social media comedy star Adam Waheed are joining forces for an animated comedy series.
We hear the unnamed series is now in development ahead of production, marking the first partnership between Wheelhouse DNA and Frederator and series writing and starring debut for Waheed, who’s better known as Adam W.
Set in ancient Egypt where the gods are real, aliens built the pyramids and the afterlife exists, the 10-episode series follows a lovable royal buffoon (Waheed) who finds himself suddenly thrust on the throne.
Waheed co-created the series with Spencer Strasmore, and the pair are now developing a slate of digital, TV and film projects. Strasmore (Ballers, Shooter) was previously a producer and development exec at Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson’s production company Unrealistic Ideas.
Waheed is one of social media’s biggest comedy stars, with an accumulated 11.5 billion views in 2022 alone. This is on course to double this year, and he currently has around 40 million followers collectively. He’s among the top creators on YouTube and TikTok and was just named as one of the 20 most influential creators by Rolling Stone.
“I like to push the boundaries with my content and animation is the perfect fit as there is no limit to how big I can go,” he said.
“This project delves into the mysteries of one of the world’s most captivating cultures and brings it to life in a modern way that is both enlightening and entertaining,” added Wheelhouse DNA Managing Director Fanny Baudry. “We’re excited to combine our production expertise with Adam W’s creative vision and Frederator’s premium animation capabilities to take viewers back in time to explore the fascinating world of ancient Egypt.”
Wheelhouse DNA is part of Wheelhouse, the company former ITV American boss Brent Montgomery founded, and was launched to create content with digital influencers and social media stars. Frederator, based in Vancouver, Canada, is part of Genius Brands International. It has produced 19 series and more than 250 short films, including The Fairly OddParents and Adventure Time and has a major YouTube channels business, Frederator Networks.
“Wheelhouse DNA has proven to be one of the most innovative and successful studios with exceptional taste in content,” said Isabel Schultz, Director of Development at Frederator. “We are grateful and excited to partner with them to bring our amazing creator Adam W’s voice to life in this hilarious adult animation series.”
Waheed is represented by Leanne Perice at Made By All and CAA.