Riley Voelkel and Shiva Negar have joined the voice cast of “Above Average,” an adult animated comedy that sets its superheroes in a world where fame and corporate profit outrank rescue work. Deadline reported the casting exclusively. The series is in late-stage development and comes from Canadian animation collective Red Pants Productions and Josh Harris’s JVH Media in the UK. Creators Andrew Deutsch and Cailin Walker-Bent will write and direct the series, and they will also handle voice direction and casting. It is being developed as an eight-part run.
The show takes place in Metrocropolis, which its makers bill as the superhero capital of the world. In that city crime-fighting is big business, a license is required to save lives, and public image often matters more than public service. The producers describe it as an irreverent look at celebrity culture, corporate power and society’s obsession with being exceptional.
Voelkel is best known for “The Originals,” where she played Freya Mikaelson, and for “Hightown.” Negar appeared in the 2017 thriller “American Assassin.” Negar, who was born in Iran and raised in Turkey and Canada, called the premise refreshing and said she liked that its heroes are “anything but super.” Voelkel has followed the project since its early days, according to one report.
The producers have not named which characters the actors will voice. They have not announced a streamer, network or release window in the coverage reviewed. Animatics and character designs are already finished. That progress puts the project close to a sales pitch or platform announcement, though no buyer has surfaced.
The pitch enters crowded territory. Adult superhero satire has drawn audiences through live-action and animated series alike, and viewers have seen plenty of cynical takes on capes and corporate branding. Supporters of the new project argue a business-focused angle gives it a distinct target. Skeptics could note that familiar jokes about celebrity heroes will need sharp writing to stand out. Deutsch and Walker-Bent have not released further plot details, and no premiere date is set.
