Genndy Tartakovsky’s ‘Heist Brothers’ Greenlit to Series by Adult Swim
“Heist Brothers,” an animated action comedy first teased by Genndy Tartakovsky at 2024’s Annecy as “Heist Safari,” has now been fully greenlit for series by Adult Swim.
The news looks like some of the biggest at this year’s Adult Swim Studio Focus, a fixture on Friday at Annecy which draws to a close the big U.S. studio showcases at a French festival which they have made their own.
“I’m pretty sure this is the most bonkers thing being made right now,” head of Adult Swim Michael Ouweleen said at an Adult Swim Studio Focus, promising a mix of Tex Avery and Guy Ritchie with a “wall to wall custom made EDM” soundtrack. Ouweleen tentatively hopes for a work in progress session to be hosted at next year’s Annecy Festival.
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It is unclear how far the series will vary from details released last year at Annecy where Tartakovsky sneak peeked animatics from the first episode of the show. They featured three frog brothers who are attempting to rob a bank chasing a bank vault manager mouse before it can make it to the security button.
“The sequence, for which Ouweleen pointed out Tex Avery influences, is a burst of kinetic visual comedy, backed by aggressive EDM music,” Variety wrote.
The green ight announcement was made at an Adult Swim First Looks and Creative Voices’ Studio Focus presentation at the 2026 Annecy Animation Festival, following the unveil, made in exclusivity by Variety, of a Cartoon Network docuseries and two new specials from “Robot Chicken,” all reflecting on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim’s intertwined history as Cartoon Network turns 35.
The Adult Swim Studio Focus also took in various behind-the-scenes presentations from across the festival, for works such as the upcoming second season of “Common Side Effects,” “My Two Cars,” “Rick and Morty” and its upcoming spin off, the Keith David-starring “President Curtis.”
It began with a rundown of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim history, with Ouweleen leading the presentation: Ouweleen even shows the initial creative brief, including the detail of the programming block having intentionally scary branding to turn away younger viewers.
This was a transition into the announcement that the network would be creating a five-part docuseries on the founding and evolution of Cartoon Network across its 34, going on 35 years (at the time the series will release), pitched by alumni. The series is intended to be about “the people who built Cartoon Network, who took the creative risks.” This announcement was paired with the announcement of two “Robot Chicken” specials, driven by the idea that the series “made fun of all pop culture and won Emmys for doing so, but never made fun of us,” said Ouweleen.
As well as the latest and greatest of the Adult Swim slate, Head of Development Cameron Tang spoke with regards to their shorts program Smalls and its role in developing new series and turning artists into series creators. The development program works with around 20 emerging artists and creators at a time, internationally, to release in the range of 50 two-minute shorts per year.
Tang explained the difference between quarter hour (weirder, more risk taking) and half-hour programming (more accessible) and since Smalls is more compact, it’s a space to take bigger swings.Tang uses the example of Joe Cappa’s “Haha You Clowns” Smalls short becoming a series as one such example, Michael Cusack’s track from “Bushworld Adventures” to “Yolo” to “Smiling Friends” as another. Much of the contemporary Adult Swim lineup is built from Smalls.
With the 25th anniversary of Adult Swim on the horizon, it seems that longevity and the key to keeping the work feeling fresh was on people’s minds. An audience member enquired about “Rick and Morty,” and how the team thinks about sustaining audience interest across 12 seasons, and whether they think about the end.
Creator Dan Harmon answered frankly. “The goal of the property – not to be too crass about it – the design of Rick & Morty the show is to be eternal.” Harmon mentions that he’s grateful to shows like “The Simpsons” and “South Park” that can be reference points for the potential longevity on a show, ones which aren’t “The Flintstones” at least. Regarding a potential end for “Rick and Morty,” Harmon said that while “there are shows that knew when to quit,” he feels that there’s also value in keeping on. “I don’t know if we get rewarded for that in the animation medium, our job is to get taken kicking and screaming off it,” he quips. “Our job is to do 100 years ‘Rick and Morty.’”
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
