In a curious development, Netflix has beaten out several other broadcasters in a fierce bidding war for The Eggplant Emoji – a new, dark comedy from Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (Gentlemen Lobsters). The project will be a co-production between Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, and the talent behind Workaholics – Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck.
The Eggplant Emoji looks to be a move on the part of Netflix to expand its original comedy slate in the direction of broader humour than it perhaps has been noted for in the past. While few details have been confirmed, it’s reported that the writers will seek to adopt a tone that is similar to Superbad – featuring R-rated shenanigans against a backdrop of male friendship and bonding. At the current time, the only specific element of the plot that is known is that the story will involve a teenage boy who accidentally chops off his penis while camping, prompting his friends to rush and save it for him.
The involvement of Ben Stiller and the Workaholics team suggests that The Eggplant Emoji will have a dry, absurdist quality – an assumption further bolstered by the presence of Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. Their animated series, Gentlemen Lobsters, was popular on GQ.com where it ran from 2014 to 2016. It focused on two lobsters named Garrett and Quinn as they navigate the perils of adult life – tackling relationships, careers, and fashion.
The Eggplant Emoji is still in development, so there’s no word yet on who might play the unfortunate, injured teen. Now that Netflix is on the scene, however, momentum on this project will undoubtedly increase.
