Netflix is beefing up its cartoon content in a bid to stave off Disney Plus threat
The new cartoon network
Can't get enough cartoons? Netflix could be the place to go, with an influx of animated shows and movies expected to arrive on the streaming platform in the coming years.
This is because Netflix has struck a multi-year deal with the creators of animated coming-of-age comedy Big Mouth, which will see the team creating a bevy of animated projects for the streaming giant through their production company, Brutus Pink.
Want to know more about Disney Plus? Check out our Disney Plus price guide.
- The best shows on Netflix this month
- Want know the best movies on Netflix?
- Watching from abroad? You'll need the best Netflix VPN
According to Engadget, the arrangement means the team, including Nick Kroll, Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg and Mark Levin, will produce new animated movies and shows for Netflix, as well as three more seasons of Big Mouth, in addition to the third season already lined up for later this year.
Right now, there's no word on what those other shows and films might entail, but if they're anything like Big Mouth, you could expect a combination of adult humor and outlandish animation.
Mounting competition
Compared to other platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix is home to a huge number of animated shows, particularly those aimed at older viewers like Matt Groening's Disenchantment, Rick and Morty, and F is For Family.
However, with Disney Plus looming on the horizon, the streaming giant could be about to lose its crown as cartoon king – after all, Disney Plus is expected to house every single Disney film in existence, which includes masses of animated content.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Furthermore, Netflix has just lost one of its most popular shows, Rick and Morty (in the UK at least) – season 4 will air on Channel 4, which must have been a blow to the streaming platform.
That could be Netflix's main motivation for the new deal – although the news that Netflix is investing in animation may come as a surprise to fans of Lisa Hanawalt's Tuca and Bertie, which was cancelled after just one season, despite the popularity of Hanawalt's previous Netflix venture, Bojack Horseman.
So while this is an interesting move by Netflix, if Hanawalt's experience is anything to go by, the future of any animated show on Netflix is never guaranteed.
Via Engadget
Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.