Summary
Hazbin Hotel’s success proves that indie animation projects can become massive on streaming platforms like Prime Video, which suggests another online animated phenomenon could also become a streaming hit. After years of developing the characters and story, Vivienne Medrano’sHazbin Hotelhas become a massive hit. The A24-produced first season, which is now streaming on Prime Video, garnered a massive amount of attention and quickly gotHazbin Hotelthe green light for season 2and beyond.
For animation fans, this is a particularly exciting development, as it hints at the potential other similar projects could have with a bigger platform. There’s one in particular, currently set to release a five-episode crowd-funded mini-series following the success of a 2023 short-film adaptation, that could easily follow the trajectory ofHazbin Hotel. Although wildly different in specific story and style, both highlight the potential of grassroots support in the world of animation. Here’s how another up-and-coming animatedshow likeHazbin Hotelcould build on its groundwork to become a massive hit in its own right.
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Lackadaisy Could Follow In Hazbin Hotel’s Successful Footsteps
Theanimated adaptation of theLackadaisywebcomichas the potential to be the nextHazbin Hotel, with a similar passionate fanbase, stylish world, and unique approach to classic genres. Before blowing up on Prime Video, Vivienne Medrano released the pilot forHazbin Hotelon YouTube in 2019. This garnered a groundswell of attention that helped set offthe spin-off seriesHelluva Bossandeventually led to the production of a fullHazbin Hotelseries. The uniquely dark, goofy, and empathetic approach to the musical genre is one ofHazbin Hotel’s greatest strengths, helping it stand out among its peers.
The gangster-influencedLackadaisyhas much of that same potential. Centering around a 1920s St. Louis full of anthropomorphic cats,Lackadaisyfollows the adventures of a group of bootleggers working for the titular club at the height of prohibition. Created by Tracy Butler in 2006,Lackadaisyquickly picked up a ravenous audiencewho fell in love with the comics' beautiful art, strong writing, and compelling characters. This eventually led to a crowd-funded short film that was released in 2023 to rave reviews and was subsequently released on YouTube similar toHazbin Hotel’s debut.
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LackadaisyHas Plenty Of Material To Explore In A Full Series
Building off the success of the short film,Lackadaisyhas already crowd-funded enough of a budget to produce a five-episode mini-series and some shorts. However,a full adaptation of the series has more than enough material to justify several seasons of storytelling. The varied cast of characters each brings unique edges to the classic Prohibition setting, fleshing out a typically gritty drama with a playful (but dangerous) sense of fun. It’s a very character-driven series, with a blend of dramatic beats and surprising comedy filtered through the classic dangers of the gangster genre.
Nicodeme
Malcolm Ray
The world features an expansive cast of characters, ranging from unlikely criminals to fearsome foes. The central conflict between warring criminals and the government out for all of them could justify plenty of episodes. The drama that erupts between the Lackadaisy crew and their rivals could easily span seasons of storytelling, especially if the show were to delve more into the mysterious backstories hinted at throughout the comic. The animated short-film proved how easily the series adapts to other mediums, and how well Rocky and the rest of his crew work in motion.
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Why I’m Convinced Lackadaisy Could Become The Next Streaming Sensation
There’s a lot going forLackadaisy, highlighting the potential it has to become a massive success. While the two shows are radically different in several ways,LackadaisyandHazbin Hotelhave important elements in common.Hazbin Hotel’s appeal comes from creative designs, strong animation, good characters, solid writing, great music, and tonal flexibility. All of those elements are also present inLackadaisy. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, perfectly adapting the original character designs with a fluid approach to movement and expression. There’s a wonderfully balanced tone to the short film, shifting effectively from humor to action to drama between scenes.
WhileLackadaisyisn’t a musical likeHazbin Hotel, a weary and stirring musical element is baked into the former’s very premise. The first scene of the short-film is a lyrical poem, sung by Rocky as he plays his violin, that helps set the stage for the entire series.The characters are compelling and charming in equal measure, and crying out for extended focus.Hazbin Hotelis an unmitigated success in the world of modern animation and proves that other online indie projects with great stories and passionate fan-bases deserve a chance to reach their true potential.
Hazbin Hotel
Cast
Hazbin Hotel is an adult animation series created and directed by Vivienne Medrano. Hazbin Hotel centers on Lucifer’s daughter, who opens a hotel for misfit demons she thinks can be redeemed in order to reduce Hell’s overpopulation. The first season of Hazbin Hotel premiered on Prime Video on August 15, 2025.
