Kevin Smith Gives Update on Howard the Duck Animated Series

During the “Kevin Smith Reboots Hall H” panel at Comic Con International in San Diego last weekend, filmmaker Kevin Smith was asked to give an update on Howard the Duck, the animated series that he is developing for Marvel and Hulu. The filmmaker acknowledged that work has not started in earnest on the series yet, but said that it will be about two months before a writers room is assembled and likely about a year before fans can see the series. he also promised to explore the weird and genre-bending style of Steve Gerber, Howard the Duck’s original creator, and he has a plan to do so.

Part of that plan is the inclusion of Dave Willis, best known as one of the minds behind Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Willis will provide that genre-bending energy, and drive much of the writers’ room (to which Smith says he will add some ideas and some writers), for the series as they prepare it moving forward. News on the series will likely start to come along in the relatively near future, but there are three other Marvel animated series currently in the queue ahead of Howard the Duck, so don’t be surprised if all those involved try to keep their mouths shut for as long as possible to give the other series a wide berth.

“In terms of the order of the shows, right now, our show goes last,” Smith said. “Right now it’s MODOK, then Hit-Monkey, then Dazzler & Tigra, then Howard the Duck. My partner on that show is the brilliant Dave Willis who created Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He’s the sensibility that you want to go along with Howard. I’m there, I’ll give it my all, but Steve Gerber’s Howard was genre-bending. We need a genre-bender to come in and work on the show, so Dave is putting together a writers room that I’ll add some people to, too, and then we’re going to be moving forward within the next 2 months our writers’ room opens up. We’re a year away from the cartoon, to be honest with you, but I’m sure it will be good, because Marvel doesn’t do anything bad.”

Smith and Willis will both write and executive produce the new series, which features the titular Howard the Duck stuck in a world that he never made. His goal is to return home with the help of his “unstoppable gal pal” Beverly, but they will have to take on the likes of the evil Dr. Bong, who wants to turn Howard into a meal.

Howard the Duck is one of four animated Marvel series ordered by Hulu, all of which have incredibly compelling creative teams. A M.O.D.O.K. series is being created by Patton Oswald and Jordan Blum, centered around the egomaniacal villain as he struggles to keep control of his evil organization and demanding family. Hit-Monkey is being written and executive produced by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, while a Tigra & Dazzler show is on the way from Erica Rivinoja and Chelsea Handler.

Much like Netflix’s Defenders mini-series, these four animated shows will culminate in a team-up event called The Offenders, which will feature the characters from each previous series.

Are you excited for Kevin Smith and Howard the Duck to finally find their way to one another? Which of these shows are you most looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments!