Move over DC and Marvel: in some decidedly phizz-whizzing news, we’ve heard the Roald Dahl Universe is about to get much bigger, just days after hearing Tales of the Unexpected was being rebooted.
The author’s children’s tales will now be revamped for a new generation, too. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has paid over $1 billion for the rights to 15 of the author’s most famous works, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda.
Netflix announced the news on Twitter yesterday (November 27), in the form of an animated Wonka bar revealing a golden ticket:
Netflix will adapt the Roald Dahl universe of stories as a new slate of animated event series. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The BFG are just a few of the titles from the author's beloved and award-winning library that will be reimagined for a new generation pic.twitter.com/ODO6cjqja1
— See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) November 27, 2018
The streaming giant also confirmed just which stories will be animated. They include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, George’s Marvellous Medicine, 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.
Dahl’s two autobiographical works Boy – Tales of Childhood and Going Solo will also be animated, though there are some glaring omissions. For instance Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was recently made into an animated film by Wes Anderson, and James and the Giant Peach, which was made into a film in 1996 using live action and stop-motion animation, were not mentioned.
Netflix promises the new series would nevertheless “remain faithful to the quintessential spirit and tone of Dahl.”
The author’s widow Felicity Dahl also shared her thoughts on the collaboration, saying: “Our mission, which is purposefully lofty, is for as many children as possible around the world to experience the unique magic and positive message of Roald Dahl’s stories.
“This partnership with Netflix marks a significant move toward making that possible and is an incredibly exciting new chapter for the Roald Dahl Story Company. Roald would, I know, be thrilled.”
Dahl’s stories have been a mainstay of the big screen, ever since 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory right up to Robert Zemeckis‘ new version of The Witches. In a move bound to be seen as competing with the launch of Disney’s new streaming service, Netflix has brought them to the small screen too.
What do you think of this scrumdiddlyumptious news?