Netflix, Roald Dahl Story Company Prep ‘Imaginative’ Adaptations Universe

Netflix has partnered with The Roald Dahl Story Company for a big project that will involve famous characters from the late British novelist’s books.

The streaming service announced Tuesday that it has secured the rights to “reimagine and extend” some of Dahl’s popular stories. The main takeaway from the press release is that Netflix would be establishing a cinematic universe using the iconic characters from the world’s most beloved children’s books.

The Roald Dahl universe will comprise original animated event series intended for global family audiences. Netflix listed the titles that will be part of the project, and the standout entries include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The BFG” and “Matilda” — classics that have already been adapted for the big screen.

The lineup also includes the less famous books from Dahl, such as “George’s Marvelous Medicine,” “Going Solo” and even the author’s memoir, entitled “Boy – Tales of Childhood.” “The Magic Finger,” “Dirty Beasts,” “Rhyme Stew,” “Henry Sugar” and “The Enormous Crocodile” are also part of the list.

“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,” Vice President of Kids & Family Content at Netflix Melissa Cobb said.

According to Cobb, the mission of the project with The Roald Dahl Story Company is to take Dahl’s iconic characters and introduce them to “fresh” and “contemporary” journeys, storylines and settings. The imaginative story universe is said to go beyond the pages of Dahl’s books.

“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. 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,” Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, said. “Roald would, I know, be thrilled.”

Production on the first series is scheduled to begin next year. More information about the project will be announced soon.