By Zach Johnson
This news makes us very hoppy.
Chris and Shane Houghton, creators and executive producers of the animated comedy Big City Greens, Disney’s No. 1 show, will join the echelon of format-leaping creative talent as the brothers’ popular series spins off a movie musical for Disney Channel and Disney+. Big City Greens also received a fourth season order from Disney Channel, bringing it to more than 100 episodes for the Daytime Emmy®-winning and Annie Award-nominated comedy.
“Chris, Shane and their crew made this decision an easy one because they consistently turn their wellspring of bold ideas into entertainment that connects with kids and families and appeals to fans of animation everywhere,” says Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television. “They’re an important part of our TV animation studio which, guided by Meredith Roberts and her outstanding team, is key to our group’s creative footprint and success. Whether I’m at work or at home with my family, I join the millions of viewers around the world who are looking forward to all that Big City Greens has in store for us.”
The third season of Big City Greens will debut on Saturday, February 12, at 9 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel. Last year, Shane told D23, “There are going to be some big changes for the Greens coming up”… and boy, was he serious! The story arc will bring a big change for the optimistic mischief-maker Cricket Green (voiced by Chris), who moved from the country to the big city with his wildly out of place family: hard-working father Bill (voiced by Bob Joles), sweet-and-sour Gramma Alice (voiced by Artemis Pebdani), and quirky older sister Tilly (voiced by Marieve Herington), who later in season three will participate in a rite of passage event—one that’s uniquely Green style. If you need to catch up before the February 12, you’re in luck! The first two seasons are available to stream on Disney+. The Houghton humor and creativity are also on display in two short-form Disney Channel series, Broken Karaoke and Random Rings, each featuring characters from Big City Greens.
Big City Greens is influenced by the Houghtons’ childhood in the small rural town of St. Johns, Michigan, with locations and characters inspired by their real-life family members and townsfolk and their experiences upon departing rural farmland for college in big cities. The animated series debuted in 2018, and in 2021, the Houghtons inked an overall deal at Disney Television Animation. In addition to the brothers, the movie and series’ creative team includes producer Michael Coughlin, co-executive producer Stephen Sandoval, and composer Joachim Horsley. Big City Greens is a production of Disney Television Animation.