pilots 2014

Black Jesus Coming to Adult Swim

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: (L-R) Actor Tristan Wilds, director Anthony Hemingway, and writer Aaron McGruder of winner for Outstanding Motion Picture and Outstanding Independent Motion Picture 'Red Tails' pose in the press room during the 44th NAACP Image Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on February 1, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)
Actor Tristan Wilds, director Anthony Hemingway, and writer Aaron McGruder of winner for Outstanding Motion Picture and Outstanding Independent Motion Picture ‘Red Tails’ pose in the press room during the 44th NAACP Image Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on February 1, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Adult Swim has green-lighted a half-hour live-action series called Black Jesus, created by The Boondocks’ Aaron McGruder, the network announced. Gerald “Slink” Johnson (Lamar in Grand Theft Auto V) will star as Jesus Christ, a present-day Compton resident spreading messages of love and kindness with the help of his apostles. Fans of the Boondocks TV show might feel like this new series has actually been gestating for a long time: One of the very first lines on the pilot back in 2005 was Huey announcing “Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11.” McGruder will serve as executive producer, and the show should premiere later this year.

Black Jesus Coming to Adult Swim