Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced they will bring some of the most iconic and beloved stories and characters of Dr. Seuss to life with five new animated preschool series and specials. The projects are inspired by treasured stories like Horton Hears a Who!; The Sneetches; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish; and Wacky Wednesday, in addition to lovable characters like Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose.
Executive producer Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Shimmer & Shine, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) will serve as showrunner across all five, and additional showrunners will be revealed in the coming weeks. The announcement expands the partnership between Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises even further, following the launch of the critically acclaimed animated series Green Eggs and Ham in 2019, which will have its anticipated second season premiere 8 April 2022.
The new Dr. Seuss line-up will serve as a true anchor for Netflix’s expanded focus on pre-school. 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 Netflix preschool content director Heather Tilert.
“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,” said Dr. Seuss Enterprises president and CEO Susan Brandt.
The greenlit projects include the following books:
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish- This series follows the adventures of two loveable fish who are different in every way. Red and Blue consistently find themselves in comedic situations that allow them to introduce oppositional vocabulary to our preschool viewers.
This series will have seven minutes episodes and two minutes music videos, in 2D animation format.
The Sneetches- As long as there have been Sneetches on beaches, the Star-Bellies and Moon-Bellies have lived separate lives. But when two young Sneetches form an unlikely friendship, they teach their communities that differences don’t need to be avoided, they can be celebrated.
This will be a 45-min special in 3D animation format.
Wacky Wednesday- In an otherwise perfectly normal town, whenever Wednesday rolls around things suddenly get wacky! Luckily, this town has a ten-year-old Wacky Expert who knows that humor inspires creativity and never fails to solve every wacky problem with an equally wacky solution.
This series will have 11-min episodes using mixed media animation format.
Horton Hears a Who!- This series follows a young Horton as he explores the Jungle of Nool with his two best friends: going on daring adventures, helping their community, and learning how to stand up for what’s fair.
This series will have 11-min episodes using 3D animation format.
Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose- When a grumpy moose leader decides that he wants to be the happiest moose in the pack, he calls upon sweet Thidwick to help him. As this unlikely duo embarks on a comical adventure, Thidwick discovers that the key to happiness is being kind to others.
This Dr. Seuss story is also a 45-min special in 3D animation format.
