Cassius and Clay - FXX's New Animated Series From The Creator of Archer

[Sawyer]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fxx-orders-cassius-clay-series-813841?utm_source=twitter

FXX Orders 'Cassius and Clay' to Series, 'Archer' Moves Networks
AUGUST 07, 2015 9:00am PT by Kate Stanhope

The animated action-buddy comedy features the voices of Susan Sarandon, 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' star Kaitlin Olson and 'Childrens Hospital's' Lake Bell.

FXX is adding to its original comedy lineup.

The network has ordered the animated project Cassius and Clay to series, it was announced at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Friday.

Additionally, Archer will move to the FXX for its upcoming seventh season to pair with the new series, which hails from Archer creator Adam Reed and Modern Family's Megan Ganz.

From FX Productions, Reed and Ganz will exec produce along with the former's animation studio, Floyd County Productions, partner Matt Thompson.

Created in the vein of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the action-buddy comedy centers on two women living as bandits in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic America. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Kaitlin Olson will lead the voice cast as Ordwood Cassius, a hard-drinking, quick-thinking, fast-talking ********ter who has more debts than sense. Lake Bell (Childrens Hospital) will voice Shopcarter Clay, the fastest gun in the post-apocalyptic South who doesn't go looking for trouble but shares a station wagon with it. Susan Sarandon (Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe) is set as Connie Mack, the ruthless and cutthroat owner of Wilke's only saloon and brothel. Mack runs the booze, the girls and effectively the whole town. The trio will serve as series regulars.

The comedy also boats an impressive group of guest voices including J.B. Smoove as Doc Benz, the town's only doctor, locked in a dysfunctional, co-dependent relationship with Smiffy (who carts the Doc's ornery, legless ass around). Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) will voice Smiffy, the enormous blacksmith, a gentle giant who can fix anything so long as Doc says it's OK. Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent) will voice Waitstill Weeks, the utterly powerless and disregarded mayor of Wilke, who's barely in charge of his own newspaper, which only he reads. Stephen Root (King of the Hill) will play Preacher, a chubby, good-natured man of God. Katy Mixon (Mike & Molly) will play "sister-****es" Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey. Robert Patrick (Scorpion) will play Reever Grint, the terrifying tax-collector from Richway — he's the most crooked of all the crooked sheriffs.

Cassius and Clay's 10-episode first season will debut in 2016.

“Tearing through the Smoky Mountains, Cassius and Clay don’t just survive the end of the world – they thrive on it with a pack of misfits who persevere against all odds in this Southern-fried apocalypse,” said FX Networks/Productions original programming president Nick Grad in a statement. “Our thanks to Adam and Megan for creating this hilarious and twisted tale and to Kaitlin, Lake, Susan and the rest of the voice cast for bringing these characters to life in all their damaged glory.”

For FX Networks, Cassius is the latest collaboration with Floyd County Productions after inking the animation powerhouse to an overall deal back in February 2012. The company's credits also include short-lived FX animated comedies Chozen and Unsupervized, both of which were canceled after their first seasons.

Cassius and Clay and Archer join FXX's growing slate of original comedies, which also includes It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, You’re the Worst, Man Seeking Woman, Animation Domination and the upcoming final season of The League.

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