‘Criminal Minds’ Creator Jeff Davis to Develop Animated Drama at Fox (EXCLUSIVE)

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Jeff Davis is developing a one-hour animated drama project at Fox, Variety has learned exclusively.

The show is the first Davis has set up under his broadcast-only overall deal at the broadcaster, which was announced last August.

The exact details of the potential series are being kept under wraps, but Davis will serve as writer and executive producer. Fox Entertainment will produce with Bento Box Entertainment. Fox also announced in August that it had acquired Bento Box , the animation house behind the hit Fox series “Bob’s Burgers.”

Davis created CBS’ hit series, “Criminal Minds,” which is set to wrap up a 15-season run during the 2019-2020 season. He also developed and served as showrunner on the hit MTV series “Teen Wolf,” which ran for 100 episodes. Michael Thorn, president of entertainment for Fox Entertainment, served as an executive producer on that series. Davis and producer David Janollari are currently working on a pilot for Syfy based on the classic series “Night Gallery.”

He is repped by Authentic Talent & Literary Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Should the project go to series, it would mark the first primetime animated drama in Fox’s history. Fox is currently the only broadcast network that airs any animated programming, though those are all comedies. In addition to network cornerstones like “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” and “Bob’s Burgers,” Fox also recently launched the animated shows “Bless the Harts” and “Duncanville.” Animated comedy “The Great North” is also set to debut this year, while Fox has ordered “Housebroken” to series for the 2020-2021 season.