Riley Voelkel, Shiva Negar To Voice Animated Series ‘Above Average’

EXCLUSIVE: Riley Voelkel and Shiva Negar will lend their voices to adult animated comedy series Above Average.

The show, which is in late-stage development, comes from creators Andrew Deutsch and Cailin Walker-Bent at Canadian animation collective Red Pants Productions and Josh Harris at JVH Media in the UK.

Above Average is billed as an irreverent look at celebrity culture, corporate power and society’s obsession with being exceptional. It is set in Metrocropolis, the superhero capital of the world, where crime-fighting is big business, saving lives requires a license and public image often matters more than public service.

The series follows Gadget Kid, an ordinary teenager with extraordinary ambitions, but absolutely no superpowers. Determined to make a difference, he turns to SALT, three washed-up, middle-aged superheroes operating out of a dilapidated laundromat, and their accountant.

Riley Voelkel’s credits include The Originals and Hightown. “I’ve had the opportunity to watch this project grow over time and seeing it evolve and reach this stage has been such a great experience,” she said. “I’m excited to be stepping into the world of voiceover and it’s been a blast to watch everything come to life.”

Shiva Negar, whose credits include American Assassin, added: “There’s something incredibly refreshing about a superhero comedy where the heroes are anything but super. They’re flawed, imperfect, and often a complete mess, which ironically makes them all the more human and relatable.

“I’ve already had so much fun experimenting with different voices and personalities, and I’m excited to be part of this wonderfully imaginative and hilarious world that Andrew and Cailin have created, and to reunite with Josh Harris after our time together on American Assassin.”

Deutsch and Walker-Bent will write and direct the series and oversee voice direction and casting. Above Average is being developed as an eight-parter. Animatic and character designs already in place. Check out the first-look at the images from the show.