EXCLUSIVE: Josh Gad is set as a lead opposite Hugh Laurie and Zach Woods in Armando Iannucci’s HBO space comedy pilot Avenue 5 (tentative title).

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Created, written and executive produced by Iannucci, Avenue 5 is set in the future, mostly in space.

HBO

Gad will play Herman Judd, the billionaire face and name behind Avenue 5 and the whole Judd brand, which includes hotels, fitness clubs and space tourism. Judd is used to a life of luxury. He made his money from holiday resorts and thinks he’s good at everything else. Terrible at science, he leaves that to the scientists he employs to give him the answers he wants.

Rebecca Front and Suzy Nakamura co-star.

Gad premiered his film Little Monsters, which also stars Lupita Nyong’o and Alexander England, at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. His upcoming projects include Universal’s A Dog’s Journey, where he will reprise his role as Bailey; Disney’s Artemis Fowl; Sony’s animated The Angry Birds Movie 2; and Apple’s animated musical comedy series Central Park. Gad, who also will return as Olaf in Disney’s Frozen 2, set for release in November, is repped by Lighthouse Management + Media, WME and Ziffren Brittenham.