Sacha Baron Cohen to narrate 'Chelm' animated comedy special

May 18 (UPI) -- Sacha Baron Cohen is working on an animated comedy special for HBO Max.

The streaming service said in a press release Wednesday that it is developing the new special Chelm: The Smartest Place on Earth with Cohen, King of the Hill creators Greg Daniels and Mike Judge, and Michael Koman.

Chelm is set in the mythical "Town of Fools" of Yiddish folktales and shares the absurdist humor and interpretive questioning that is a nod to Jewish intellectual traditions.

Cohen will narrate the family-oriented special, which presents a fresh take on the silly antics and exaggerated conflicts of the town, while also preserving the essence and heart of the classic folktales.

"This pitch was so hilarious; we just knew the HBO Max audience needed to get a dose of this original brand of storytelling. Chelm: The Smartest Place on Earth is a perfect pairing of comedy and satire, and no one does that combination better than Sacha, Greg, Mike, and Michael," Warner Bros. head of kids and family programming Amy Friedman said.

"This unique project will breathe new, hysterical life into the nonsensical Chelmic wisdom that originated from this imaginary city of folks who aren't quite the sharpest tools in the shed," she added.

Cohen, Daniels and Judge are developing the story with Koman, who will write the script. The four will executive produce the special with Dustin Davis.