HBO has officially given a series order for the upcoming space tourism comedy, Avenue 5, from Veep creator Armando Iannucci. The In the Loop writer will also serve as executive producer on the series, with Kevin Loader, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, and Will Smith also executive producing. Iannucci has been confirmed as directing the pilot as well.
Set forty years in the future after the solar system has become habitable and travelable, the series will follow Captain Ryan Clark– Hugh Laurie of House M.D. fame — on his spaceship cruise named Avenue 5. Nikki Amuka (Luther), Lenora Crichlow (Deception), Rebecca Front, Josh Gad (The Comedian), Suzy Nakamura, Ethan Phillips (Star Trek: Voyager), and Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), join the series as supporting cast members.
Avenue 5’s official logline reads as: a “space tourism comedy set 40 years in the future when the solar system is everyone’s oyster. With Hugh Laurie as the Captain, nothing can go wrong?”
Despite previously working with Iannuci before, audience’s can expect Laurie’s Ryan Clark to be “suave, outwardly confident, controlled and personable,” while Gad’s Herman Judd, will be the “face and name behind Avenue 5, and the whole Judd brand, including hotels, fitness clubs and space tourism.”
Woods will play Matt Spencer, Avenue 5’s Head of Customer Relations. “Despite being a nihilist, Matt is a nice guy who can’t wait to get to the end of his final cruise before promotion to a more senior role on Earth,” according to the official character description, which also notes that Matt “has a performance background, but gave up trying to make it as an entertainer years ago.”
HBO, currently is airing the seventh and final season of Iannucci’s Veep, on which he served as showrunner until the end of its fourth season when he left to pursue other projects. Still rremaining as one of the most critically-acclaimed shows on television throughout its seven season run, one can expect Iannucci’s next project to be just as great.
Currently fans can follow the BAFTA winner’s other upcoming projects, after he finishes post-production for his film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield.
TvLine originally reported this story.