Netflix is all set to release the first five episodes of DreamWorks Animation’s All Hail King Julien kiddie video – a spinoff of the studio’s Madagascar franchise – on 19 December, with additional installments to follow suit in the coming year.
All Hail King Julien, starring the boisterous ring-tailed lemur ruler of the jungle, will be available to most Netflix subscribers worldwide, including in the US, Canada, Latin America, UK, Ireland, the Nordics, Benelux and France (with the notable exception of Germany and Switzerland).
“We are excited to add a series focused on one of the most beloved characters from Madagascar to our growing line-up from DreamWorks Animation,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President, Original Content, Netflix in a statement. “King Julien knows how to throw a great party and we expect families around the world will enjoy spending their holidays with him.”
New 22-minute episodes of the series will debut throughout 2015. The release deviates from Netflix’s standard practice of releasing all episodes of an original series at once; DWA and Netflix have previously said the lengthy process of producing animation prevents a binge-style premiere.
The series falls under the pact DWA and Netflix announced last summer, the biggest deal for the internet streaming-video company for original TV content. That kicked-off with Turbo FAST, based on the movie about a team of racing snails. Under the agreement, DreamWorks Animation is to develop more than 300 hours of exclusive programming based on DWA characters; by the end of 2016, DWA will debut 10 additional new series on Netflix.
“All Hail King Julien is really a showcase for our talented artists to bring the Netflix audience the great storytelling, compelling characters and fantastic design that is the hallmark of DreamWorks Animation,” ended Margie Cohn, head of TV for DreamWorks Animation.