Amazon Developing ‘Funny Business’ Comedy With Will & Aaron Eisenberg

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios is developing Funny Business, an animated feature from Aaron and Will Eisenberg, based on an original pitch from the duo.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, though the film has been described as a four-quadrant coming-of-age comedy set in the world of funny and evil clowns.

Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald will produce for Counterbalance Entertainment, alongside Chris Viscardi. Dina Hillier of Counterbalance Entertainment will exec produce alongside Aaron and Will Eisenberg.

This is the Eisenbergs’ second original feature with Amazon MGM and Counterbalance, after previously selling their R-rated family vacation spec, Sporkinfeesten, with Bobby Farrelly directing, and Counterbalance aboard to produce.

Known for their work on original comedies, Aaron and Will Eisenberg released their horror comedy Cursed Friends on Comedy Central in 2022, and their college admissions satire, Big Envelopes, as an Audible original starring Abbi Jacobson in 2023. They are represented by Curate and attorney Derek Kroeger of Myman Greenspan Fox.

Just recently setting up the spec In Real Life, from Cathy Yuspa & Josh Goldsmith, at Disney, as we first reported, Counterbalance’s Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald are best known for creating Cobra Kai, a Karate Kid sequel series that originated on YouTube before breaking out as a six-season Netflix hit with 11 Emmy nominations. Hurwitz and Schlossberg are also known for their work on New Line’s Harold & Kumar franchise, as well as hit comedies Blockers and American Reunion, while Heald penned the Hot Tub Time Machine franchise for MGM.

Most recently, Counterbalance produced 72 Hours, an upcoming bachelor party comedy for Netflix directed by Tim Story and starring Kevin Hart. The three principals are also writing, producing and directing a reimagining of Knight Rider for Universal Pictures, as well as a new installment of Harold & Kumar for New Line.

Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald are all with CAA. Hurwitz and Schlossberg are also repped by Hansen Jacobson; Heald by Behr Abramson.

A producer, writer and former head of Nickelodeon Animation, Viscardi’s screenwriting credits include Plankton: The Movie and The Loud House Movie for Netflix, 20th’s Alvin and the Chipmunks, Universal’s The Tale of Despereaux, Snow Day from Paramount Pictures, and the television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. He is repped by The Gotham Group and Nelson Davis.