Hulu’s comedy lineup continues to grow.
The service has signed Atsuko Okatsuka for her second special, which will be taped at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood in early November. While details are being kept under wraps for now, she joins a roster that also includes Bill Burr, Jim Gaffigan, Roy Wood Jr., and Ilana Glazer. According to multiple sources, Hulu is also expected to announce new schedules for Sebastian Manisculco and Jessica Kirson.
“As a pioneering anime company, it was only a matter of time before they asked me to work with them. I mean, look at me,” Okatsuka joked. “I have a bowl cut and I wear bright colors. I I am Toon Town. Excited to bring good times and pranks to people around the world with the Disney/Hulu family.”
The announcement comes as Hulu is poised to formally launch its standup brand “Hularious” in November. At that time, the specials will begin rolling out monthly on Hulu (and Disney+ internationally), a slower cadence than Netflix by default. Indeed, Hulu’s outreach to comics is based on the fact that its platform is less saturated with standup and therefore the talent can feel special there. Hulu is also said to be leveraging the power of the Disney brand, offering to introduce the comics to other leaders at the giant company.
The curated push comes as standup comedy is proving to be a bright spot in an otherwise bleak entertainment landscape. Hulu is among several platforms shelling out for new specials, with at least some outlets willing to shell out upwards of eight figures for an hour. The various platforms hope that comics will attract new subscribers and are often especially helpful in terms of promotion on their tours, podcasts and social media.
Okatsuka's new material is currently the focus of her Full Grown Tour, a global theater tour that has seen her tour more than 20 countries and sell over 100,000 tickets. Her first special, directed by Tig Notaro, The intruder, aired on HBO in December 2022 and was quickly named the “Best Debut Special of 2022” by The New York Times and one of the best hours of the year Vulture.
More recently, Okatsuka has rounded out his IMDB profile with roles in films All We Love, Group Therapy and the upcoming studio comedy Resultwith Jonah Hill and Keanu Reeves. However, many others will probably recognize her for her viral moments, including the #DropChallenge, which she created with her grandmother and which has already been viewed more than 10 million times.