Willy Wonka and the Oompa-Loompas are joining The BFG, Matilda, The Twits, and a host of other iconic characters who have all found a brand new home together on Netflix as the streaming giant and The Roald Dahl Story Company jointly announced today that Netflix is extending the Roald Dahl universe of stories for global family audiences with an exclusive new slate of original animated event series.
It is based on the books from the acclaimed and award-winning author’s best-selling library, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, and many other beloved titles.
Roald Dahl stories have long inspired award-winning feature films and stage productions. But now, for the first time, Netflix will bring together creative, visual, and writing teams to extend the stories in this premium animated event series and specials for audiences of all ages and for families to enjoy together.
“Our mission is for as many children as possible around the world to experience the unique magic and positive message of Roald Dahl’s stories,” said Roald Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, “This partnership with Netflix marks a significant move toward making that possible and is an exciting new chapter for the Roald Dahl Story Company. Roald would, I know, be thrilled.”
“Immersing ourselves in the extraordinary worlds of Roald Dahl stories has been an honor and a massive amount of fun, and we are grateful for the trust the Roald Dahl Story Company and the Dahl family have placed in our team to deliver more moments of shared joy to families around the world,” commented Netflix Kids and Family Content vice-president Melissa Cobb. “We have great creative ambition to re-imagine the journeys of so many treasured Dahl characters in fresh, contemporary ways with the highest quality animation and production values.”
“Netflix is known for innovative and high-quality storytelling,” added The Roald Dahl Story Company strategy director Gideon Simeloff. “There is no other place in the world that can deliver animated entertainment for the whole family at such quality and scale.”
The list of titles in the agreement between Netflix and the Roald Dahl Story Company includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, George’s Marvellous Medicine, Boy – Tales of Childhood, Going Solo, The Enormous Crocodile, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, Henry Sugar, Billy and the Minpins, The Magic Finger, Esio Trot, Dirty Beasts, and Rhyme Stew.
Production of the Netflix Dahl animated series is set to commence in 2019.