Fox Planning Family Guy Spin Off

Family Guy’s Cleveland Brown might be getting his own show. Fox and 20th Century Fox TV are developing a spin off from its hit animated series centered on Peter Griffin’s bathtub-accident-prone neighbor, says The Hollywood Reporter. The project, tentatively titled Cleveland, is being written by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry – who voices Cleveland and serves as writer-producer on the series – and The Simpsons alum Rich Appel, executive producer/showrunner on MacFarlane’s other animated comedy for Fox, American Dad.

Cleveland, who plays off black stereotypes, is the most levelheaded among Griffin’s trio of friends. Once canceled by Fox, Family Guy triumphantly returned on the network in 2005. It is Fox’s top-rated comedy and has grown into a $1 billion franchise with red-hot DVD and merchandise sales.