Scotland’s Bonnie And Braw Cartùns Teams With ‘Rick and Morty’ Producer Rick Mischel On The Queer Adult Series ‘The Rejects’

Scotland’s Bonnie and Braw Cartùns has unveiled The Rejects, a new adult animated comedy co-produced with Rick Mischel, the Emmy-winning producer known for Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites.

Created by John McEwan-Whyte, written by Julie Bower (So Awkward), and co-produced with Mischel’s 2D-focused Canadian Artists Animation Studio, The Rejects tells the story of famous sidekicks forgotten by history, reimagined as unlikely heroes. “When John showed me this project, the originality and humor jumped off the page. It’s funny, heartfelt, and something our animators will really love working on,” said Mischel.

Developed in collaboration with Screen Scotland and Canada’s LGBTQ+ network OUTtv, the project marks a significant step forward for Scotland’s first Scottish EDGE-backed animation company – EDGE is the country’s largest business funding competition – as it seeks to establish itself in the global original IP market.

“The Rejects is everything we look for at OUTtv: sharp, funny, and unapologetically queer,” said Philip Webb, COO of OUTtv. “It’s a subversive reimagining of misunderstood or overlooked characters through a queer lens that celebrates their individuality and outsider status. We’re incredibly proud for this to be our first Scottish project.”

BAFTA-winner Sophie Kennedy Clarke leads the voice cast as the Lady of the Lake, described as “a magical badass with anger issues.” Central to the narrative is a reimagined Dr. John Watson, portrayed as “a brilliant yet insecure, openly gay ex-military doctor whose heart gets broken by Sherlock Holmes.”

“This is my love letter to the overlooked,” said McEwan-Whyte. “Scotland doesn’t just have to be the backdrop for other people’s stories—we can lead. My goal with Bonnie and Braw is simple: make Scotland the home of bold, original IP.”

Further concept art will be revealed at the Children’s Media Conference this week.

Bonnie and Braw is an Edinburgh-based independent production company founded by award-winning filmmaker John McEwan-Whyte. Known for projects like Ten Count and collaborations with brands including HMV, Fjällräven, and Visit Scotland, the company works across both scripted and unscripted content. In 2025, following Scottish EDGE funding, Bonnie and Braw launched its animation division, Bonnie and Braw Cartùns, to bring a distinctly Scottish voice to global audiences through documentary and animated projects. Collaborating with talent such as Bob Harris, Hamza Yassin, and KT Tunstall, and brands like BBC and Aardman, the company also invests in nurturing new talent via its “Braw Voices” mentorship program and industry initiatives.