We could certainly use a hero right about now, so why not Josh Hutcherson? The new 13-episode Hulu show “Future Man” stars Hutcherson as Josh Futturman, a janitor by day and world-ranked gamer by night who is recruited by mysterious visitors from the future who eye him as the key to preventing the extinction of humanity. The half-hour comedy series also stars Eliza Coupe, Derek Wilson, Ed Begley Jr. and the late Glenne Headly.
By way of Sony Pictures Television, “Future Man” is executive produced by Seth Rogan, Evan Goldberg, Matt Tolmach and James Weaver. Rogen and Goldberg, who currently executive produce AMC’s comic book adaptation “Preacher” and teamed up together for the deliciously crude, computer-animated “Sausage Party,” also directed the pilot. The story was written by Ariel Shaffir and Kyle Hunter.
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“The Last Starfighter,” “Quantum Leap,” and “Back to the Future” all appear to be major influences for the ambitious project. “It’s inspired by a lot of the science fiction movies of the last 30 years,” Rogen said recently at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, “but more than anything it’s kind of like a journey. We want the show to exist in a world where all those movies are real.”
The series is the latest entry in Hulu’s expanding original programming effort, which already home to comedies “Casual,” “The Mindy Project,” “Difficult People,” and most recently, the dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the hit adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s prescient novel starring Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes.
If Rogen and company can turn their R-rated sensibilities and sci-fi nostalgia into a mainstream hit, it could help solidify the content provider turned cable network as a major player in the original content game. And if that happens, “Future Man” may just turn out to be the hero Hulu needed all along.
All episodes of “Future Man” hit Hulu on November 14th.