Five Dr. Seuss animated series and specials coming to Netflix
Netflix is expanding its pre-school series and specials with five new animated programs based on the beloved stories and characters of Dr. Seuss.
The streaming platform announced that the upcoming animated projects include iconic stories like Horton Hears a Who!, The Sneetches; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish; Wacky Wednesday, and Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose.
Horton Hears a Who!, which previously appeared in the big screen in 2008, follows the story of a young Horton as he explores the Jungle of Nool with his two best friends. The series will see the characters go on daring adventures, help their community, and learn how to stand up for what's fair.
Another upcoming series, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, features the adventures of two loveable fish, Red and Blue, who are different in every way and consistently find themselves in comedic situations that allow them to introduce oppositional vocabulary to pre-school viewers.
The third series greenlit by Netflix is Wacky Wednesday, which follows the story of a 10-year old Wacky Expert who knows that humor inspires creativity.
Meanwhile, The Sneetches, is a 2D 45-minute special which sees two young Sneetches teach their communities that differences don't need to be avoided but instead can be celebrated.
Lastly, another special titled Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose focuses on a grumpy moose leader who decides that he wants to be the happiest moose in the pack. With the help of Thidwick, they embark on a comical adventure to discover that the key to happiness is being kind to others.
The project further expands the partnership between the streaming platform and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, following the launch of the acclaimed animated series Green Eggs and Ham in 2019, which will have its second season premiere on April 8, 2022.
Executive Producer Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Shimmer & Shine, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) will serve as showrunner across all five. Additional showrunners will be revealed in the coming weeks, according to Netflix.
“The new Dr. Seuss line-up will serve as a true anchor for Netflix’s expanded focus on pre-school,” Netflix said in a statement. “Introducing concepts of foundational learning, this new slate of programming will explore themes of diversity and respect for others all told through fun and engaging stories that incorporate the whimsical humor, distinctive visuals and rhythmic style of Dr. Seuss.”
“Netflix is a trusted home for characters kids love, and generations of kids love the characters imagined by Dr. Seuss. These beloved stories have been a core part of families’ libraries for many years and it gives me great pride that we are bringing them to our catalog of Netflix shows, in a fresh and modern way that resonates with audiences today,” said Heather Tilert, director of Preschool Content, Netflix.
For her part, Dr. Seuss Enterprises president and CEO Susan Brandt said: “Dr. Seuss Enterprises is proud of the collaborative relationship we share with Netflix. We are always looking for new and engaging ways to share our stories, characters and messages with the next generation of fans, and Netflix has a unique ability to create original, delightful adaptations of our timeless classics with an emphasis on imagination, fun, and education. Our partnership has been very prosperous thus far with our award-winning animated series Green Eggs and Ham. We hope to continue that success with our upcoming projects.”