Taika Waititi is heading to Loompaland. The “Jojo Rabbit” director is set to helm a pair of animated series for Netflix based on Roald Dahl’s children’s classic “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” with one centered on the Oompa Loompas.
The other series, according to Netflix, is “based on the world and characters of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’” Waititi will write, direct and executive produce the series, which fall under Netflix’s 2018 deal with The Roald Dahl Story Company.
“I grew up reading Dahl stories and lived large parts of my young life in those magical worlds, so 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. 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,” said Netflix Vice President of Original Animation Melissa Cobb.
Along with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” 15 other book titles from the beloved children’s author are set to be adapted under the agreement: “Matilda,” “The BFG”, “The Twits,” “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,” “George’s Marvellous Medicine,” “Boy – Tales of Childhood,” “Going Solo,” “The Enormous Crocodile,” “The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me,” “Henry Sugar,” “Billy and the Minpins,” “The Magic Finger,” “Esio Trot,” “Dirty Beasts” and “Rhyme Stew.”
“In the words of Willy Wonka himself – we are ‘Delighted! Charmed! Overjoyed!’ with Taika’s appointment on this project. 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,” said Gideon Simeloff, Commercial and Entertainment Director, Roald Dahl Story Company.