Hulu has ordered the half-hour comedy series “Chad Powers” from Glen Powell and Michael Waldron, PvNew has learned.
Powell will star in the series in addition to co-creating and co-writing the pilot with Waldron, with both serving as executive producers. The show is based on the Chad Powers character created by Eli Manning for his EPSN+ docuseries “Eli’s Places.” Manning wanted to learn more about the walk-on process for college football, so he donned a wig and prosthetic makeup so he could go undercover during the Penn State football tryouts.
The official description for the series states, “When bad behavior nukes hotshot QB Russ Holliday’s (Powell) college career, he disguises himself and walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers.”
“We’re both diehard college football fans. When we saw Eli as Chad Powers, we knew that was the way into a big, fun story about this world,” Powell and Waldron said in a joint statement. “We’re excited to be part of this team, and can’t wait to get Chad in the game. Think fast, run fast.”
In addition to Powell and Waldron, Manning will executive produce along with his brother Peyton Manning via Omaha Productions as well as Jamie Horowitz and Ben Brown. Adam Fasullo of Waldron’s Anomaly Pictures will also executive produce, as will ESPN. Powell will executive produce under his Barnstorm Productions banner. 20th Television is the studio.
“The love for Chad Powers has surprised me in spectacular ways,” said Eli Manning. “I played 16 years in the NFL, but now when I’m in a restaurant or walking through an airport, it’s not uncommon for fans to scream, ‘Hey Chad!’ I’m so excited to team up with my friends Glen Powell, Michael Waldron and Omaha Productions to continue to tell the Chad Powers story and see what he does next.”
This will not be Powell’s first foray as a writer. He previously co-wrote the screenplay for the action-comedy “Hit Man” along with Richard linklater, with Powell also starring in the film. It debuted at the Venice Film Festival and will be released theatrically on May 24 before arriving on Netflix on June 7. Powell most recently starred in the romantic comedy “Anyone But You” with Sydney Sweeney, which has grossed nearly $200 million worldwide. He is also known for his role in megahit sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” as well as for films like “Hidden Figures” and “Everybody Wants Some.” He is also set to star in the highly-anticipated film “Twisters.”
Powell is repped by CAA, The Initiative Group, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Waldron previously created the Marvel-Disney+ series “Loki,” which recently aired its second season. He is also known for his work writing the Marvel film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and is attached to write the next two “Avengers” films. He is also known for creating the Starz pro wrestling drama “Heels” and for writing on shows like “Community” and “Rick and Morty.”
He is repped by CAA, Grandview, and Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis.
“Chad Powers” is now the second major streaming series to be based off a character created for a sports program. “Ted Lasso” starring Jason Sudeikis was based on a character originally created to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of Premier League soccer. That show went on to air three highly-acclaimed seasons on Apple TV+, winning numerous Emmy Awards and becoming the most-streamed show of 2023.
