God's Gang
God's Gang is an animated YouTube series designed for children and young adults, created by Nimrod Avraham May.[1] The series is centered on an interfaith team of superheroes,[2] comprising four heroes from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Hindu backgrounds. It centers on themes of unity, friendship, and understanding.
Background and development[edit]
May described creating God's Gang to bridge cultural and religious differences.[3][4][5]
The series consists of an international production team,[6] including executive producer Ronen Shani, producer Gilad Piker, director Ehud Landsberg, marketing officer Jon Sumroy[7] and five-time Emmy and Grammy Award winning writer Rob Kutner.[8] The series is supported by an interfaith committee comprising experts from the four different religious backgrounds.[4]
On 9 August 2023, the completion of the pilot episode, "Love Is in the Air Hole", was announced.[4] The production of the show's official trailer and pilot episode "Love Is in the Air Hole" was overseen by Singapore-based media company, Infinite Frameworks,[9] and made possible through private investment.
Characters[edit]
Th titular Gang cast consists of a Muslim (SumoSlim), a Christian (ChrisCross), a Jew (NinJew), and a Hindu (TaekwonHindu).[1] They are martial arts heroes, empowered by 'The Almighty' and through the power of peace, kindness, and unity are on a mission to bring down the world's villains.[3]
Premise[edit]
The narrative of the pilot episode "Love Is in the Air Hole", unfolds with the four characters enjoying a leisurely day at an amusement park, disrupted when mad scientists attempt to abscond with carousel horses and the children aboard.
The story takes a turn as an urgent search and rescue mission unfolds, leading the characters into a deep-sea expedition to uncover mysteries surrounding endangered blue whales. Antagonistic reptilians have manipulated the whales into an underwater party, trapping them in the process. The whales' aroma is extracted through their airholes to perfume the reptilians' stinky alien planet.
Each God’s Gang character deploys their unique superpowers to thwart the villains and execute a rescue mission. Interwoven into the storyline are elements of humor, including jokes, one-liners and subtle messages promoting themes of interfaith harmony, friendship, cooperation, and acceptance. These themes align with the broader objective of fostering unity and empathy among the show’s audience.
Reception[edit]
The online pilot episode attracted over 3 million viewers within three months of its release[3] and 250,000 subscribers across social media platforms by December 2023.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Issa, Marie-Antoinette (4 December 2023). "Meet The Cast of God's Gang". Women Love Tech. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (9 August 2023). "'God's Gang' Introduces an Interfaith Superhero Squad". www.animationmagazine.net. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Goldbart, Max (6 December 2023). "Former Netflix Animation VP Joins 'God's Gang' Producer". Deadline. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Emmy-Winning Team Will Sneak Peek in August Its Pilot Episode of 'GOD'S GANG,' a Groundbreaking Animated Series for Kids". Yahoo Finance. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "To YouTube and Beyond! One former Disney exec's plan to unite the world". creativepool.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "God's Gang Ltd. Adds Animation Veteran Bruce Daitch. Animation World Network. 11 December 2023".
- ^ "Jon Sumroy".
- ^ "Directors and Producers Forum Launches in U.K. – Global Bulletin. Variety. 6 December 2023". 6 December 2023.
- ^ "Former DreamWorks Animation COO Bruce Daitch joins Israeli company God's Gang". animationxpress.com. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.