In a bit of news that will surely be music to many ears, Netflix has announced that Mary J. Blige is set to join the cast of THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, a show based on the indie comic book series written by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way, with art by Gabriel Ba, and published by Dark Horse Comics.
The forthcoming live-action adaptation will follow the estranged members of a dysfunctional family of superheroes (The Umbrella Academy) – Luther, Diego, Allison, Vanya, Klaus and Number Five – as they work together to solve their father Reginald Hargreeves’ mysterious death. Before long, the children feel their lives unravel due to their divergent personalities and abilities.
Upon boarding the comic-to-screen series, Blige will fufill the role of "Cha-Cha," a ruthless and unorthodox hitwoman who travels through time to kill assigned targets. Even though she has a few gripes about the bureaucracy of her employers, this job is her life. She is sadistic, sociopathic, and her reputation precedes her. Her true love is torture, and she thinks of herself as a "pain artist." She really doesn't care for people—except for her partner Hazel.
In other words, do not get in her way.
Produced by Universal Cable Productions, with Steve Blackman (FARGO, ALRERED CARBON) serving as both showrunner and executive producer, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY will act as a window into Way and Ba's cutthroat world of super-powered teens and consequences hiding behind every corner. Currently, Way is spearheading the Young Animal imprint at DC Comics. If you're down to check out some of the label's work, I highly recommend Way's DOOM PATROL, as well as MOTHER PANIC and SHADE, THE CHANGING GIRL.