Get ready to re-enter a world of pure imagination, Taika Waititi-style. The Thor: Ragnarok mastermind is getting into Netflix‘s Roald Dahl business, using the author’s beloved children’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as the basis for his modern-day animated update, Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory. The upcoming film is one of the big anchors of the streamer’s 2026-27 animation slate, which Netflix will unveil at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.
As the title implies, Waititi’s film will feature a more adversarial relationship between expert candy man Willy Wonka (voiced by the filmmaker) and young Charlie Paley (Kit Connor). Picking up several years after Wonka’s famous Golden Ticket competition, Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory takes place in a world where good ol’ Willy was locked up for his presumed crimes against children — like the whole “Violet Beauregarde got turned into a blueberry” thing.
Freshly sprung from jail, he’s back in his factory just in time for a new Charlie to crash the joint searching for a priceless treasure that can potentially save his family home. As eagle-eyed Dahl fans will remember, Waititi slipped a reference to that nightmare-inducing tunnel sequence from the classic 1971 film version of Dahl’s book into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Charlie Paley had better be prepared to encounter fresh tunnel terrors.
The other big film release on Netflix’s upcoming slate is Brad Bird‘s Ray Gunn, the Oscar-winning director’s first major motion picture for a streamer. Set in a retro-future where aliens and humans co-exist, the highly-stylized film follows the titular private eye (voiced by Sam Rockwell) as he sleuths his way through a mystery of intergalactic proportions. Additional celebrity voices include Tom Waits and Scarlett Johansson, who lends her pipes to a local celebrity named Venus Nova. The film reunites Bird with his Pixar collaborator, John Lasseter, who is currently overseeing Skydance Animation. The director will be on hand at Annecy for a special conversation with Aardman animation legend, Peter Lord.
On the TV side of things, Netflix is getting into the ghost busting business with an all-new animated version of Ghostbusters overseen by current franchise masterminds, Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan. To be clear, this isn’t a revival of The Real Ghostbusters or that other Ghostbusters cartoon, but rather an extension of the feature film franchise. To drive that connection home, Dan Aykroyd — Ray Stanz himself — is joining the creative team. We can’t wait for the very special episode that actually depicts the famous interdimensional cross rip caused by the Tunguska blast of 1909!
And speaking of brand extensions, The One Piece marks the latest iteration of Eiichiro Oda popular manga, joining the long-running anime series and Netflix’s hit live action adaptation. This new animated version re-adapts One Piece‘s foundational East Blue saga with a contemporary animation style.
Lastly, Ricky Gervais is bringing his particular comic voice to Alley Cats, an adult-oriented animation series that provides a feline’s eye-view of life in the modern United Kingdom. Just like Garfield, Gervis really hates Mondays.
Here’s Netflix’s full 2026-27 animation slate:
Film
Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory
Release date: 2027
Synopsis: Willy Wonka (Waititi) has spent the years since the Golden Ticket contest behind bars (not the chocolate kind) for the crime of turning a child into a blueberry. Having served his time, Wonka returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world. But one thing stands in his way: teenager Charlie Paley (Connor) and his friends. Facing eviction, this next generation of “rotten” kids plot to break into the factory, nab a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes. But like many before them who enter the fantastical world of the factory, these kids are in for a bit more than they can chew…
Directors: Jared Stern & Elaine Bogan
Producers: Aron Warner, Timothy Yoo
Executive Producer: Taika Waititi
Cast: Kit Connor and Taika Waititi
Animation Studio: Sony Pictures Imageworks
Ray Gunn
Release date: 2026
Logline: In Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, private eye Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova.
Director: Brad Bird
Producers: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Lisa Beroud
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits
Animation Studio: Skydance Animation
Steps
Release date: 2026
Synopsis: Think you know Cinderella’s “evil” stepsisters? Think again! When misunderstood Lilith (Ali Wong) is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand, she accidentally turns her sister Margot (Stephanie Hsu) into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella (Amanda Seyfried) (and a surprisingly dreamy troll) to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairytale, and prove that even so-called villains deserve a shot at happily-ever-after.
Directors: Alyce Tzue & John Ripa
Produced by: Amy Poehler, Jane Hartwell, Kim Lessing. Poehler and Lessing producing for Paper Kite Productions.
Cast: Ali Wong, Amanda Seyfried, Stephanie Hsu
Animation Studio: Netflix Animation Studios
The Ribbon Hero
Release date: August 2026
Synopsis: Yuki Igarashi, regarded as one of the industry’s most versatile animators, directs the film. He first drew wide attention for the sophisticated animation he handled alone as key animator on the ending sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1. His directorial debut, Star Wars: Visions – Lop & Ochō, received high praise in Japan and abroad for its delicate storytelling and dynamic action scenes. THE RIBBON HERO marks Igarashi’s first time directing a feature-length film.
Director: Yuki Igarashi
Inspired By: “Princess Knight” by Osamu Tezuka
Original Character Design: Kei Mochizuki
Character Design Cooperation: Mai Yoneyama
Animation Character Design: Issei Arakaki
Art Director: Cedric Herole
Production Company: Twin Engine
Animation Studio: Outline
Series
Alley Cats
Release date: Aug. 7, 2026
Synopsis: Alley Cats is a sitcom created by and starring the multi award-winning Ricky Gervais. The adult animation follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life. From the funny to the absurd, the series is packed with Gervais’ signature style of heart and social commentary that audiences have come to expect.
Creator and Director: Ricky Gervais
Co-director: Elliot Dear
Executive Producers: Ricky Gervais, Steven Hamilton Shaw
Production Designer:Tang Heng
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, Diane Morgan, and also featuring Natalie Cassidy and Tony Way
Animation Studio: Blink Industries
Bass X Machina
Release date: TBD
Synopsis: In a lawless Steampunk West overrun by brutal outlaws, machines, and supernatural terrors, a father is forced to become judge, jury, and executioner—knowing that every act of justice meant to protect his family may ultimately cost him the very people he’s fighting to save.
Executive Producers: Brian Tyree Henry, LeSean Thomas, Jennifer Wiley-Moxley, Chad Handley
Animation Studio: Studio Mir
Blue Eye Samurai (Season 2)
Release date: TBD
Synopsis: In Season 2, Mizu’s bloody quest continues in London, where she faces new friends, old foes, and her own demons. In Japan, Akemi and Taigen navigate Edo Castle under a dangerous new Shogun, while Ringo searches for new purpose.
Created by: Amber Noizumi and Michael Green
Executive Producers: Amber Noizumi and Michael Green
Animation Studio: Blue Spirit
Untitled Ghostbusters Series
Release date: 2027
Synopsis: Hailing from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation, the high end animated series based on the beloved Ghostbusters IP will debut exclusively on Netflix in 2027.
Executive Producers: Ben Hibon, Elliott Kalan, Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, Amie Karp, and Dan Aykroyd
Sparks of Tomorrow
Release date: July 5, 2026
Synopsis: In an alternate version of the early 20th century where technological progress evolved along a different path shaped by steam power, Kyoto is blanketed in constant smoke. A boy, hardened by the loss of his brother, grows distrustful after their shared dream of an “Age of Electricity” is cut short. A deeply devout girl hides her dreams and regrets for her deceased mother deep within her heart. When the two cross paths, they set about exploring the secrets of the 20th Century Electrical Catalog, a glimpse into the future they long for. Together, they must confront their pasts and carve a path toward the future they once believed in.
Director: Minoru Ota
Animation Studio: Kyoto Animation
The One Piece
Release date: February 2027
Original manga by: Eiichiro Oda (Weekly Shonen Jump, Shueisha)
Synopsis: Produced by Wit Studio, The One Piece is a brand new anime adaptation starting from the very beginning of the original manga’s East Blue saga. Separate from the TV anime series that has charged full speed ahead over the course of more than 25 years, this series taps into the expressive potential of modern technology to offer a familiar yet fresh take on the adventures of Luffy.
Director: Masashi Koizuka
Assistant Director: Hideaki Abe
Series Composition: Taku Kishimoto
Character Design & Chief Animation Directors: Kyoji Asano, Takatoshi Honda
Creature Design & Image Boards: Yasuhiro Kajino
Prop Design: Eri Taguchi
Action Animators: Ken Imaizumi, Shuhei Fukuda
Art Director: Tomonori Kuroda
Animation Producer: Ryoma Kawamura
Animation Studio: Wit Studio
