AceShowbiz -

HBO is adding another comedy to its line-up. The premium cable channel has just given a series order to "The Brink" hailed from Jerry Weintraub, Jay Roach and Roberto Benabib, and starring Jack Black and Tim Robbins.

Described as an epic dark comedy, it centers on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate and desperate men: U.S. Secretary of State Walter Hollander (Robbins), Alex Coppins (Black) who is a lowly Foreign Service officer, and Zeke Callahan (Pablo Schreiber) who is an ace Navy fighter pilot. These three compromised souls must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War III.

Benabib and his brother Kim Benabib will write the script, while Weintraub, Roach and Roberto Benabib will executive produce the show. Roach is additionally on board to direct the pilot.

HBO gives the greenlight after the network's bosses watched the completed pilot a day before. Production on the new comedy will begin later this year, but no premiere date is announced yet. Aasif Mandvi, Maribeth Monroe, Geoff Pierson, Esai Morales and Eric Ladin also co-star on the series.