Nic Izzi of Red20 announced on Thursday that he is developing a new version of the 1980s animated kids show “Rude Dog and the Dweebs,” which is being reimagined as an adult animated series.
The character, created by Brad McMahon in the 1980s, originated as a mascot for Sun Sportswear. In 1989, he got his own animated series from Marvel Productions and was part of the CBS Saturday morning line-up. Rob Paulsen, who voiced Yakko on “Animaniacs” and Pinky on “Pinky and the Brain,” provided the voice of the pooch with the rude ‘tude.
“Rude Dog and its brand left an indelible mark on its generation,” Izzi said. ”Rude Dog’s story evolves into a satire about the broken institutions which have left behind the working class. Audiences have embraced the wide spectrum of adult animation, from joke-heavy comedies to sophisticated tales of reconstruction, which is exactly the vibe Rude Dog evokes.”
The adult animated series evokes an antihero vibe, as “The Man” attempts to put a muzzle on Rude Dog and his dweeb pals.
After a long trademark pursuit which was finally resolved in 2018, Rude Dog is back home with its creator. “When I first started drawing Rude Dog in 1985, I was grooving on New Wave and Ska-2 Tone music, which Rude Dog grew out of,” McMahon explained. “His original design reflected the music of that time: angular, stark, black & white, brawny, punchy, and alternative. Somewhere in this anthropomorphic dog are hints of a bull terrier and somebody you know.”
The success of the Rude Dog brand has lasted beyond TV, as merchandising is still going strong after 30 years, with surf-and-skate shirts and shorts still in high demand.
Izzi produced the Netflix thriller “1BR,” and “The Chaperone,” which starred Haley Lu Richardson as silent movie star Louise Brooks and was based on the best-selling novel by Julian Fellowes. He also executive produced the 2018 Magnetic Film documentary “The Case” about Vladimir Putin and the mysterious death of his mentor Anatoly Sobchak.
Izzi is repped by Will Jacobson at Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.