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Netflix gives America’s history an R-rated revision in its first animated film

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Image used with permission by copyright holder
History can be determined by who is telling it and we are about to get an animated revision of America’s history. Netflix is financing its first original animated film, America: The Motion Picture, a revisionist take on the history of the country’s founding, according to Deadline.

The film will star Magic Mike’s Channing Tatum as George Washington and will be directed by Matt Thompson, who co-created the absurdist animated TV series Sealab 2021 and is a producer on the foul-mouthed animated TV series Archer. Thompson will be joined by his Sealab 2021 co-creator, Adam Reed, who is also the creator of Archer. It is pretty likely we will hear a few F-bombs from one of America’s founding fathers.

What type of foul things Tatum’s Washington will be spewing will be up to America screenwriter Dave Callaham, who co-wrote the script for Sylvester Stalone’s middle-aged men action film The Expendables and is the showrunner for Amazon’s Jean-Claude Van Johnson. America will be Callaham’s first time writing an animated film.

Netflix has released dozens of animated TV series since late 2013 that have garnered the streaming services some of its most lauded praise. The hilariously repugnant BoJack Horseman won Best Animated Series at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Television Awards. All Hail King Julien‘s first two seasons earned it four Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Children’s Animated Program in 2015. Netflix also won a 2017 Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Character Animation for the series premier episode of Trollhunter.

New seasons from BoJack Horseman and Trollhunterare expected to arrive by the end of 2017.

No release date for America: The Motion Picture has been set. The film has yet to be placed on Netflix’s schedule of upcoming releases. 

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Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
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