The HBO Max revival of Clone High is coming along swimmingly, according to an artist who works on the show.Tara Billinger, the art director behind the new Clone High, gave a positive update on the show’s post-production work for fans eagerly awaiting the return of the animated cult classic. She described working on the "finishing touches" of the revival and praised the rest of the crew for their "incredible work."
Created by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller alongside Bill Lawrence, Clone High was a co-production between Canadian animation studio Nelvana and MTV Animation. The series, which ran for one season from 2002-03, centered on a high school attended by teenage clones of major historical figures. Following its sudden cancellation -- which left Season 1's cliffhanger ending unresolved -- Clone High faded into obscurity but managed to cultivate a cult following over the years. In 2020, it came to light that Lord, Miller and Lawrence were developing a Clone High revival series, which officially received a two-season order at HBO Max in 2021.
Clone High Survived Streaming's Animation Purge
Billinger's optimistic update on the Clone High revival comes at a turbulent time for the animation industry, as streaming services like HBO Max and Netflix have either canceled their animated flagship shows or delisted them without providing an alternative for fans to watch or legally own. Under Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max has canceled various animated projects that were once in development for the streaming service while gutting its library, including the removal of over 250 classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Despite the setbacks, the new Clone High is set to air in 2023.
The former MTV show isn’t the only animated adult comedy currently available on HBO Max. Velma, the risqué reimagining of the Scooby-Doo series, is rumored to be in development on Season 2 despite the series' less-than-favorable reviews. Season 4 of Harley Quinn will also air in 2023 alongside the new Clone High.
Clone High Season 1 is available to stream on Paramount+ and free with ads on The Roku Channel.
Source: Twitter