Supernatural Rom-Com Extra Ordinary Is Becoming A TV Series From Maya Rudolph And Natasha Lyonne
You probably missed the charming Irish comedy/horror "Extra Ordinary" when it debuted in 2019. The film was especially unlucky with its theatrical release in the US, which happened to land in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed the country. But the story of "Extra Ordinary" just found itself a second life thanks to the producing team behind Animal Pictures: Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne. The comedy veterans are creating a TV series based on the film — a 30-minute sitcom developed in part by TBS.
"Extra Ordinary" is about a ghostbusting duo trying to save a teenager from the Satanic insanity of a manipulative rock star. It sounds like a lot but turned out to be a sweet, occasionally slapstick adventure about a mid-life romance and some cheesy joke action. The film got pretty positive and warm-hearted reviews after premiering at SXSW. From the sound of it, this TV adaptation will follow in the footsteps of the film where both tone and story is concerned. The original filmmakers behind the feature, Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, are returning to write and direct the series.
For a taste of what the TBS series will offer, checking out "Extra Ordinary" for yourself is the best way to get excited. Here's the synopsis for the feature film:
Rose (Maeve Higgins), a sweet, lonely driving instructor in rural Ireland, is gifted with supernatural abilities. Rose has a love/hate relationship with her "talents" and tries to ignore the constant spirit-related requests from locals – to exorcize possessed rubbish bins or haunted gravel. But! Christian Winter (Will Forte), a washed up, one-hit-wonder rock star, has made a pact with the devil for a return to greatness! He puts a spell on a local teenager- making her levitate. Her terrified father, Martin Martin (Barry Ward), asks Rose to help save his daughter (Emma Coleman). Rose has to overcome the fear of her supernatural gift and work with Martin to save the girl, get the guy, and be home in time for a light snack... maybe a yogurt or something...
If you're still wondering exactly what you're in for, here's a quote from /Film's review: "Expect dry Irish wit, flamboyant musicians selling their souls for another hit record, and home appliances that wave at you. Quite a motley assembly of descriptors, yet together, they make for one uniquely lighthearted horror comedy that's a cut above ordinary."
What Else Is Animal Pictures Working On?
Rudolph and Lyonne make quite the team, and their production company has a lot more in store for audiences. Animal Pictures is currently shooting an untitled half-hour comedy for AppleTV+, created by writer-producer Alan Yang ("Master of None") and Matt Hubbard ("30 Rock"). The company is also prepping for production on Rian Johnson's one-hour mystery series "Poker Face," which Lyonne will star in.
Animal Pictures is also handling the second season of Netflix's "Russian Doll" and Hulu's "Untitled Sammi Cohen Feature," starring Rowan Blanchard and Auliʻi Cravalho. They're covering quite a bit of ground here — mystery, sci-fi and, of course, comedy. Bringing a dose of horror to the mix, "Extra Ordinary" is another exciting addition to an already intriguing roster.