Celebrated Animators Patrick McHale, Ian Jones-Quartey, Rebecca Sugar, and Pendleton Ward Unite for a Bold Narrative Experiment in Three-Acts, “Adult Swim’s The Elephant,” to Premiere December 19

“Adult Swim’s The Elephant” is a rare creative experiment in which each of the three-acts are made in isolation.

A powerhouse collection of animators have joined together for a one-of-a-kind event, “Adult Swim’s The Elephant,” premiering as an ad-free experience on Friday, December 19 @ 11:00PM ET/PT on Adult Swim, next day on HBO Max.

Known for creating some of the most beloved and groundbreaking animated series in history, Patrick McHale (“Over the Garden Wall”), Ian Jones-Quartey (“OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes”), Rebecca Sugar (“Steven Universe”), and Pendleton Ward (“Adventure Time”) have reunited to push the boundaries of conventional storytelling – resulting in an animated adventure so mysterious, even they don’t know what it’s about.

“Adult Swim’s The Elephant” is a rare creative experiment in which each of the three-acts are made in isolation. With Sugar and Jones-Quartey working as a duo and McHale and Ward overseeing their own separate parts, the special is guided by “game masters” and “Adventure Time” alums Jack Pendarvis and Kent Osborne for a storytelling experiment that unfolds as a collaborative surprise, ultimately merging into a single, unexpected narrative.

“Every year around this time, we try to give the Adult Swim audience a gift they didn’t know they needed, and this year, it’s ‘Adult Swim’s The Elephant,'” said Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim. “But really, the gift was working with this brilliant team and creating an excuse for their longtime friendship and creative partnership to continue and evolve. We can’t wait for you to see the results of this crazy experiment.”

Adult Swim will debut a behind-the-scenes documentary, “Behind the Elephant” alongside an encore airing of the special on December 20 and on HBO Max, offering a rare look into the creative process featuring interviews and footage from the production. The documentary highlights the unique challenges and discoveries that made the project a truly original experience – for both the audience and the creators themselves.

“Adult Swim’s The Elephant” is produced for the network by Titmouse.

Adult Swim is the global leader in adult animation, offering critically acclaimed, award-winning series such as “Rick and Morty,” “Robot Chicken,” “Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal,” “SMILING FRIENDS,” “Common Side Effects,” and “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads.” Fan favorite anime block, Toonami, airs on Saturday nights and has expanded beyond acquisitions, producing original series including “Ninja Kamui,” “FLCL,” “Uzumaki,” and “Lazarus.” Adult Swim airs nightly from 5PM to 6AM (ET/PT) on its linear channel and reaches fans via Max. Connect with Adult Swim on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe to Adult Swim on YouTube.