A new universe of comedy is in the works from a surprising source: one of the creators of the blockbuster video game series Grand Theft Auto. Dan Houser, with writing partner Lazlow Jones, will be launching the Absurdaverse, an interlinked universe of animated satire. A solid lineup of comedic talent will lend their voices to the project. The Absurdaverse, so far, will be composed of a series of animated shorts, all taking place in the same fictional universe, an ongoing animated series, and an open-world video game akin to the Grand Theft Auto series; the latter two are in development.
The new project will feature the voices of Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), Dan Soder (Billions), Yamaneika Saunders (Life and Beth), Steph Tolev (Shifting Gears), and up-and-coming stand-up comedians Ari Matti and Samantha Alton. The array of characters will include a “Chief People Officer” who thinks he’s a DJ (Soder), a conspiracy-minded podcaster (Dratch), and much, much more. You’ll be able to get your first glimpse of the Absurdaverse when the shorts make their debut at the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival on May 7; the event will also feature live stand-up by Patton Oswalt and several Absurdaverse cast members, including Soder, Matti, Saunders, Tolev, and host Annie Lederman.
Who Is Dan Houser?
A British video game writer and producer, Dan Houser founded Rockstar Games with his brother, Sam Houser. He made his game-producing and writing debut with Grand Theft Auto: London 1969, an expansion pack to the first Grand Theft Auto game, and went on to become a driving creative force behind the subsequent GTA games. He also wrote and produced their Western-themed game Red Dead Redemption and its sequel, the private school satire Bully, and the noir-themed Max Payne 3. Although he and his brother eschewed the spotlight, they were depicted in The Gamechangers, a BBC2 docudrama; Dan was portrayed by Ian Attard (Bridgerton), and Sam was portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe. They were also both named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2009. He departed Rockstar in 2020.
The Absurdaverse animated shorts are produced by Dave Newberg (#1 Happy Family USA), with character designs by Kendra Melton (The Venture Bros). They are animated by Cutting Class Media.
The Absurdaverse animated shorts will premiere at the Netflix Is a Joke festival on May 7, 2026; the accompanying animated series and video game are in development.
via Collider