Koala Man
An average family man fights crime in a superpowered Australia.
Koala Man is an animated superhero comedy from Michael Cusack, who developed it with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit. It debuted on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in Australia on January 9, 2023, after a pilot aired on ABC in 2018. The story takes place in a reality where the US is gone, leaving Australia as the sole global superpower. The hero is an ordinary middle-aged dad from Dapto with no superpowers and a barely concealed secret identity, fighting crime in a simple costume.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Animated sitcom
- Superhero
- Comedy
- Black comedy
- Surreal humor
- Based on
- Fresh Blood: Koala Man 2018 Pilot, Michael Cusack for ABC Comedy
- Creator
- Michael Cusack
- Developer
- Michael Cusack
- Dan Hernandez
- Benji Samit
- Voices
- Michael Cusack
- Sarah Snook
- Demi Lardner
- Hugh Jackman
- Jemaine Clement
- Composer
- Brendan Caulfield
- Country
- Australia; United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The series takes place in an alternate universe called 'Bushworld', where the sinking of the Titanic never happened. This indirectly resulted in the United States being destroyed (except Hollywood, which became an island), Australia becoming the world's superpower, and Nicole Kidman becoming its Queen. The story follows Kevin Williams, an average middle-aged family man who decides to serve justice to the town of Dapto as the incredibly average superhero Koala Man. Possessing no powers and a simple costume, which is apparently enough to hide his secret identity, Kevin encounters various evildoers who wish to do harm to his town. Kevin is joined by his family, who put up with his misadventures, including his down-to-earth wife, Vicky, and his 14-year-old twin children: a popularity-obsessed daughter, Alison, and a nerdy son, Liam, who secretly possesses psychic powers.
Cast
Michael Cusack voices Kevin Williams/Koala Man, a father and IT expert who moonlights as a low-rent superhero. Cusack also voices Liam Williams, Kevin's son who possesses psychic powers; Damo and Darren, a pair of low-level criminals; The Tall Poppy; The Great One; Nicole Kidman, the Queen of Australia; Huge Greg, Big Greg's older brother; and additional voices. Sarah Snook voices Vicky Williams, Kevin's wife who works at the school canteen. Demi Lardner voices Alison Williams, Kevin's daughter. Hugh Jackman voices Big Greg, a beloved celebrity fishing expert and the head of the town council who is Kevin's boss. Jemaine Clement voices Principal Bazwell/Christopher/The Kookaburra, the ineffectual principal of North Dapto High who is Vicky's boss and reveals himself to be a supervillain. Guest stars include Alexandra Daddario as Herself; Rachel House as Janine, Vicky's friend and co-worker at the school canteen, and also Louise, the owner of the local bowling club who harbors an attraction to Koala Man; Angus Sampson as General Peckmeister, Wizened Garbage Man, Summer Santa, and many more; Jordan Shanks as the Town Shopkeeper, Chippy, and a snuff film victim; Hugo Weaving as King Emudeus; Justin Roiland as Chad Wagon, an American who wants to turn Australia into a second United States; Jarrad Wright as Spider, Kevin's boorish next-door neighbor, and also Maxwell, a wheelchair-using septuagenarian with a long, complicated history, Maxwell's father, and additional voices; Michelle Brasier as McKayla Taylor Mercedes, a popular girl who speaks with a vocal fry and Alison's initial nemesis, and also Tanya, a fish who is Huge Greg's wife; Miranda Otto as Mindy, a koala that Kevin found and cared for before she died after being hit by a car, before the events of the series; Claudia O'Doherty as Rosie Yodels/Rosie 2, the most popular girl in school, and also Rosie 1 and Rosie 3, Rosie's sister clones who want to take over Australia; Natalie Tran as Lulu Liu, Neighbour; Nisrine Amine as The Egyptian Mummy, a survivor of the Titanic who became the US president and fled to the Moon; Anthony Salame, Jordan Shanks, and Steph Tisdell as The Tradies, corrupt tradespeople who secretly run every aspect of Dapto and possess supernatural abilities; Michelle Brasier, Leigh Joel Scott, Anthony Salame, and Ian Zaro as The Tigglies, villainous parodies of the Wiggles who kill their victims, who are children, by draining them of their youth; Liam McIntyre as Emus; Nazeem Hussain as Clarko; and Nina Oyama as Little Nina.
Production
In March 2021, Hulu announced that it had given a series order for the show. Michael Cusack, who is the creator, voices the titular character, with Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, and Demi Lardner joining the voice cast. In October 2022, Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, and Jarrad Wright joined the cast, with Miranda Otto and Hugo Weaving announced to be making guest appearances. On January 25, 2023, Justin Roiland was removed from the show, alongside sister show Solar Opposites, after he was charged with felony domestic abuse. Both shows are produced by 20th Television Animation.
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