After the long-running children's show Arthur concluded its 25-year run on PBS, its creator Marc Brown is embarking on a new endeavor called Hop.
The preschool series, featuring anthropomorphic animals, has been given the go-ahead by the production company Max. Marc Brown, along with Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown, who were part of the Arthur series, will be collaborating on this new project.
Hop is specifically aimed at preschoolers and will focus on characters with disabilities. The titular character, Hop, is a 6-year-old frog with one leg shorter than the other.
Marc Brown expressed his inspiration for the new series, stating that even before Arthur ended, he had been nurturing the idea of Hop.
He drew inspiration from the work of his friend Fred Rogers.
“As Hop’s world grew in my imagination, I drew inspiration from the great work my friend Fred Rogers had done. With Arthur, we occasionally introduced characters with disabilities, but they never became part of the ensemble cast in any meaningful way. But the characters in Hop reflect many kids who are underrepresented in the media."
Epic Story Media, known for its work on Pocoyo, will produce the series, while Loomi Animation will handle the animation. The show will also receive consultation from RespectAbility, a disability advocacy group.
The character of Hop will be voiced by David Connolly, a stage actor and the first amputee to perform on Broadway.