First of the new Roald Dahl animated adaptation announced by Netflix

Netflix have announced the first animation in their new Roald Dahl adaptation series.

Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) is set to write, direct, and produce two new animated series’ for Netflix, both of which will be based on the works of Roald Dahl.

This first Netflix adaptation will be inspired by the amazing world and characters of the 1964 classic children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Another will be an original piece written about the Oompa-Loompas, the slightly sinister singing workers of Willy Wonka’s infamous factory.

The streaming giant, Netflix, have promised that these new shows will “retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time.”

Taika Waititi
Credit: Steven Taylor @ GQ

“Finding just the right creative partner to bring Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Oompa-Loompas to life in animation was a daunting task… until Taika walked into the room,” Melissa Cobb, Netflix Vice President of original animation, told Variety.

“Then, it was really obvious. If Dahl had created a character of a filmmaker to adapt his work, I’m pretty sure he would have created Taika.”

“In the words of Willy Wonka himself – we are ‘Delighted! Charmed! Overjoyed!’ with Taika’s appointment on this project,” Gideon Simeloff of the Roald Dahl Story Company added.

“There is something undeniably Wonka-esque about Taika’s creative flair and inimitable sense of humor and we cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited to leading the creative charge on these first of their kind, feature-quality Netflix shows.”