Blues Brothers to return... as cartoons? | Animated TV series in the works

Blues Brothers to return... as cartoons?

Animated TV series in the works

The Blues Brothers are set to be reborn – as animated characters.

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi‘s widow Judy are among the executive producers of a new series being developed in the hope of landing a  prime-time slot.

Anne Beatts, one of the original writers on Saturday Night Live where Jake and Elwood Blues began, is also one of the co-creators of the series, which is being made by Bento Box Entertainment, producers of Bob’s Burgers.

It’s not the first time Beatts and Judy Belushi have touted a Blues Brothers TV project, with plans announced five years age for a series set after the duo had been released from jail and  on a quest to find Elwood’s real father. The show never materialised.

The premise of the new series is closer to the 1980 film, with the r&b band on the road, with ‘music, mayhem and comedy adventures’, Hollywood trade press are reporting.

But this time around the band will be deploying new technology to make their impact, Aykroyd said.

‘It’s so great to accelerate Jake and Elwood at digital speed into the 21st Century,’ he added. ‘The show will be the Blues Brothers living in America and utilising all new technology to make and promote their own records, seek out and record new artists and avoid law enforcement – and all while fighting for truth, justice and a better breakfast sandwich.’

Aykroyd returned to the characters in 1998 for Blues Brothers 2000, with John Goodman as his partner following the death of John Belushi and J. Evan Bonifant as an orphan called Buster whom they teamed up with.

And last year Akroyd said he wanted to team up with Belushi’s brother Jim to make a new Blues Brothers TV special involving a hunt for a new generation of female blues stars, but that project has not materialised either.

The animated series will be touted around TV companies this month.

Published: 3 May 2016

Live comedy picks

We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable.