The “Abbott Elementary” creator will play the iconic cartoon character.

Quinta Brunson is set to develop and star in Betty Boop film

The "Abbott Elementary" creator will play the iconic cartoon character.

By Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at **. He left EW in 2022.

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May 20, 2026 3:11 p.m. ET

Quinta Brunson; Betty Boop. Credit:

TheStewartofNY/WireImage; Courtesy Everett

- Quinta Brunson is developing a Betty Boop film.

- The *Abbott Elementary* creator will also star as the iconic character.

- The project will follow the relationship between Boop and her creator.

Quinta Brunson is bringing Betty Boop to life.

The *Abbott Elementary* creator and star is developing and starring in a film about the iconic cartoon character from the 1930s, EW has confirmed. (*Variety* first reported the news.)

Here's the official logline for the project: "The film will chronicle the origin and evolution of Betty Boop through the eyes of her creator, Max Fleischer, exploring the relationship of the artist to his creation while navigating the immense creative and commercial pressures that came with building one of the world’s first animated icons, especially when that icon begins to take on a life of its own."

Quinta Brunson attends the 2026 Actor Awards.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Through her company, Fifth Chance Productions, Brunson is building the project alongside Fifth Chance's Erin Wehrenberg and Mark Fleischer, the head of Fleischer Studios and grandson of the original creator.

“Betty Boop is one of our nation’s most beloved cartoon characters, yet somehow still remains pleasantly niche,” Brunson wrote in a statement. “She has had a quiet but undeniable impact on culture for nearly a century. After Erin and I met with Mark and learned more about his grandfather’s creation of Betty, I realized there was a much deeper story to tell. One that could be explored in a way that feels refreshing, subversive, and timeless, much like Betty herself.”

Fleischer added, “Quinta so embodies Betty’s love of life, intelligence, humor, sassiness and compassion that the relationship between her as Betty and Max burst into life at its mere mention.”

Quinta Brunson breaks down Janine and Gregory's relationship cliffhanger on 'Abbott Elementary' (exclusive)

Quinta Brunson wants to ghostwrite a Hallmark Christmas movie

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Making her first appearance in 1930 in Fleischer's *Talkartoons* series, Boop quickly became a big screen fixture throughout the '30s. Over the last century, Boop has continued to be a pop culture staple.

For Brunson, this will mark the biggest film opportunity of her career to date. She burst on the scene with the beloved ABC sitcom *Abbott Elementary*, which just wrapped its fifth season. Brunson has won Emmys for both writing on the series and starring as the ever-optimistic teacher Janine Teagues.

And now that Brunson has played Oprah Winfrey (in *Weird: The Al Yankovic Stor*y) and will soon portray Boop, the next thing on her checklist is to finally write a Hallmark Christmas movie.

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