Hugh Jackman is a legend of Marvel. His role as Wolverine has encompassed many changes in the genre of superheroes; The first “X-Men” was revolutionary, a pioneer of films like “The Dark Knight” who anchored these comic strip characters and made them look and feel real. Then, in “Logan”, Jackman helped give genre to legitimacy with a film recognized by the Academy, a film so good, a rare jewel with a final end (even if “Deadpool & Wolverine” in a way) and a culminating point of the genre.
Of course, the “X-Men” franchise is not the only superhero title that Jackman was a part. There is where he mainly plays a superhero in a non-comic book film, like the Easter rabbit in “Rise of the Guardians” which is essentially Bunny Batman, or his very brief cameo of voice in “Free Guy”, a very bad film with Easter eggs of shoe superheroes. But there is another role that Jackman played in what is a big superhero sitcom animated with a unique Australian atmosphere that more people should have looked at, a spectacle that has almost disappeared from the conversation – “Koala Man” by Hulu.
“Koala Man” is created by Michael Cusack, who also created “Yolo” and co-created the flagship series of Adult Swim “Smiling Friends”. The show is developed by Cusack alongside Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (the big “Star Wars: Rebuild The Galaxy” and the next miracle that is the “Spaceball”). The show takes place in an alternative universe where the Titanic has not flowed, but the United States is completely destroyed (other than Hollywood, which is now an island), leaving Australia as the only superpower in the world, and Nicole Kidman as her queen. It is a superhero sitcom on Kevin Williams (CUSACK) as guys from the average age family who is also the rather average superhero man.
A fun vision of animated superheroes and sitcoms
“Koala Man” feels in many ways as an extension of the sensitivity “Rick and Morty” and “Solar Opposites”, with a sense of surrealist humor hiding in the banal. Indeed, the story is essentially a Whatt scenario for Jerry Smith, if he was Australian and had self -confidence to try to play the hero.
Cusack brings his sense of humor “Smiling Friends” to “Koala Man”, going from a calm family sitcom and anchored to an extremely comical space, presenting Lovecraftian monsters, a league of superheroes and bizarre creatures and powers while being a worldly world. This contrast between the family drama and the superheroks was straight out of the Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” films (which are a great inspiration for the show). After all, it is a show on a man who is going through a quarantine crisis so bad that he decides to transform into superheroes. Under the laughter is an emotionally complex story that is not afraid to become really dark.
And yet, it’s always a comedy, one with the unequivocal Australian bogan humor. There are many jokes specific to Australia, such as a blow with Australian actors who become in Hollywood, and also a parade of Australian stars like Hugo Weaving and Miranda Otto. As for Hugh Jackman, his role as Big Greg is more or less Hugh Jackman himself, a beloved celebrity with an extremely impressive physique that steals the scene at any time.
Unfortunately, “Koala Man” was not renewed for a season 2, and since the show was released in 2023 and there was no word from its future – in addition, Cusack is probably busy with more “smiling friends”, it seems that the man of Koala hung up his cape. However, it is a funny season of the television to watch, whether you are a fan of superheroes or that you simply want another type of lively sitcom.
