How Chad Powers creator Michael Waldron turned the sketch into a TV hit

Chad Powers was introduced to the world in September 2022 in a sketch starring Eli Manning for Omaha Productions. The premise of the gag was simple: what would walk-on tryouts at Penn State be like for two-time Super Bowl champion Manning donning a hilarious—if not obvious—disguise?

This fall, the Chad Powers concept is back, thanks to the co-creative team of Michael Waldron (Loki) and Glen Powell (Twisters). This time he has an actual story and a new actor behind the makeup.

This new version of Chad Powers hopes to take viewers on a humorous (and probably emotional) journey.

Powell will play Russ Holiday, a college quarterback whose questionable decision-making derails his career and forces him to find an alternative way to continue playing.

Both Waldron and Powell are big college football fans — the former went to Georgia and the latter is second only to Matthew McConaughey in Texas football fandom — so the partnership was a natural fit.

Despite wanting to work with each other, both Waldron and Powell reacted similarly when brought up with the idea of ​​adapting Manning skits.

“That’s insane. What do you mean?” Waldron said in a recent interview with For The Win. “What do you mean, adapt it? So, when we really started thinking about it, we actually got quite, quite excited.”

With the enormous success of Apple TV+ Ted Lassowhich was based on a 2013 NBC Sports commercial, it’s not unheard of to extrapolate a small skit into a huge hit. Waldron also mentioned filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as inspirations — namely for the duo’s work with The Lego movie and 21 Jump Street — by taking something that really shouldn’t work and make it something people really love.

Waldron was dedicated to making sure the actual football in this football show looked good and was as realistic as possible. Chad Powers is being made with support from ESPN, giving it an extra layer of realism and allowing them to film in places like Sanford Stadium in Athens. Steve Zahn, who plays Powers’ coach on the show, shadowed Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops.

“It was like, we can’t be the college football show where college football looks terrible. It has to look great,” Waldron said. “Our ambition was for this to be the best football anyone has ever seen. ” The veteran Marvel Studios writer attributed the top-notch football renderings to stage consultants, stage choreographers and extras. Oh, and Powell.

“Frustratingly good” is how Waldron described Powell’s football skills, adding that Hit Man star worked diligently with coaches and football consultants to look as convincing as possible.

“He’s a super handsome guy, incredibly pleasant. He’s also a great writer. He’s also a great writer. His family is lovely,” Waldron said. “Then he just has a fantastic arm. I’m like, God, man. Leave something for the rest of us.”

Chad Powers is expected to debut this fall on Hulu.