THE SIMPSONS executive producers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein will be the executive producers on Fox's new animated comedy SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, per VARIETY.
The duo have also secured a blind script commitment at Sony Pictures Television, which is the studio behind the show.
The hires indicate Fox is close to ordering a series pick-up, something they didn't do after a table read earlier in April.
SIT DOWN, SHUT UP was initially set up by ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT creator Mitch Hurwitz -- who wrote the first script -- and producing partners Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum.
"To run Mitch's show, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Oakley told VARIETY. "It all worked out -- Mitch wants to be in more of a supervisory role, like Ron Howard on ARRESTED."
The show is based on a live-action sitcom from Australia and revolves around seven faculty members at a dysfunctional high school in a small fishing town.
"It's extremely character based, like ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, and has different rhythms than other animated shows like THE SIMPSONS or KING OF THE HILL," Oakley said.
The action will center on the teachers and staff at the school, who focus on their own needs and wants before the students.
Actors lending their voices to the show include ARRESTED vets Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler. Others include Cheri Oteri, Will Forte, Regina King and Nick Kroll.
Animation will be done by children's book author Mo Willems, who did Cartoon Network's SHEEP IN THE BIG CITY.
Sony and 20th Century Fox are producing the show, along with Granada USA and Tantamount (partnership between Hurwitz and the Tannenbaums).
Oakley and Weinstein are also working on an animated project for Nickelodeon with Aaron Ehasz: WORST CLASS EVER, which takes place at a middle school and features Patton Oswald as the lead voice. Oakley also animated the show's characters.
The duo also worked on animated WB comedy MISSION HILL and were at THE SIMPSONS from 1993 to 1998.
