The nameâs Powers. Chad Powers. And heâs coming (back) to a screen near you.
Hulu ordered Eli Manningâs character âChad Powersâ to be made into its own comedy series, according to a company press release. Manning created and transformed into Powers for an episode of his docuseries âEliâs Placesâ after Manningâs curiosity about the college football walk-on process led him to try out at Penn State under the pseudonym and disguise. With help from a special effects artist and Matthew McConaughey-like persona, Manning successfully tried out to be a Nittany Lion. He almost made it too, as Penn State assistants took a natural liking to the two-time Super Bowl champion before head coach James Franklin, the only person seemingly in the know about Manningâs true identity, outed Powers at the end of tryouts.
The episode aired on ESPN in September 2022. It was produced by Peyton Manningâs media company Omaha Productions.
âThe love for Chad Powers has surprised me in spectacular ways,â Manning said in a statement. âI played 16 years in the NFL, but now when Iâm in a restaurant or walking through an airport, itâs not uncommon for fans to scream, âHey Chad!ââ
The new series will be co-written and -created by Glen Powell, the actor who played Jake âHangmanâ Seresin in the box-office hit âTop Gun: Maverick,â and writer/producer Michael Waldron, known for âLokiâ and âRick and Morty.â Both will serve as executive producers along with ESPN and Omaha Productionsâ Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz and Ben Brown.
âI hope Glen is working on his QB skills, I saw him throw a football in MaverickâŚhe has some work to do!!â Manning said on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
In the new Hulu series, bad behavior dismantles hotshot QB Russ Hollidayâs college career, causing him to go incognito and walk onto a struggling Southern football team as the charming Chad Powers.
âWeâre both diehard college football fans,â Powell and Waldron said in the release. âWhen we saw Eli as Chad Powers, we knew that was the way into a big, fun story about this world. Weâre excited to be part of this team, and canât wait to get Chad in the game. Think fast, run fast.â
Get ready to Think Fast, Run Fast, @glenpowell. pic.twitter.com/nLNf5COZ3E
â Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) February 22, 2024
It is yet another media venture for the Manning brothers. Ahead of the 2023 season, both Peyton and Eli Manning announced their alternate âMonday Night Footballâ telecast on ESPN2 in partnership with Omaha Productions.
The release date for the Hulu series has not yet been announced, so stay ready to think fast, run faster to a screen near you.
(Photo: Amir Hamja / Bloomberg via Getty Images)