Netflix, the streaming giant, has signed Alex Hirsch who had created Gravity Falls to a multiyear overall deal. Hirsch will be responsible for creating and developing new TV series and features for Netflix. It is a new multi-year development deal. Under the deal, Hirsch’s upcoming projects will be developed more towards adult viewers, rather than children. This deal has taken place at the right time as adult animation is getting popular and big streamers like Netflix, Apple, and Amazon are constantly producing such content.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing roster of talent coming to Netflix”, said Hirsch in a statement. “Plus it couldn’t hurt to be on The Algorithm’s good side before The Singularity hits. Awesome things are coming!”
Earlier, Hirsch has won an Annie and BAFTA Award for his work on Disney Channel/Disney XD’s animated series Gravity Falls. The series ran for two seasons and went on as a graphic novel, which became a New York Times best-seller. More recently, he has co-written the upcoming Pokemon movie Detective Pikachu and contributed story work to Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Netflix had recently tied up with the creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening for the animated series Disenchantment. BoJack Horseman, Netflix’s adult-oriented animated series is returning for its fifth season in September. Tuca & Bertie, Lisa Hanawalt’s upcoming series which does not have a premiere date also falls within this category. F is for Family and Big Mouth are also two other animated shows targeted for adults. There have been other animated non-Netflix shows with a strict target group of adults too.
“Alex is an imaginative storyteller with new ideas who’s quickly developed a reputation as a fresh new voice in animation,” added Netflix’s vice president of original programming Cindy Holland, “We couldn’t be more excited to work with him as we continue expanding our adult animated slate.”
