A fresh take on Tarzan, and a Cirque du Soleil tale in the style of Alice in Wonderland highlight four new animated series to premiere on Netflix over the coming year, as the streaming service rolls out a strong push for a broader selection of children’s shows.
Included in the new series are Cirque du Soleil — Luna Petunia, a preschool series inspired by the popular circus troupe, another pre-school series called Puffin Rock, a series targeted at grade school boys called Kulipari: An Army of Frogs, and a modern look at the king of the jungle in Tarzan and Jane.
In the usual Netflix format, all episodes of the four series will launch simultaneously.
Tarzan and Jane (2016) offers an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ children’s stories. The plot offers a modern day remake of the Tarzan story in which a 16 year-old Tarzan returns from the jungles of Africa to a boarding school in London where he meets Jane, his “ultimate partner, who helps him solve environmental injustice, crimes, and mysteries.”
Cirque du Soleil — Luna Petunia (2016) brings the acrobatic Cirque du Soleil flare to a story about a young girl named Luna who plays “in a dreamland where she learns how to make the impossible possible.” The Quebec-based series from Saban Brands and Cirque du Soleil Média will span 11 episodes, with plans for a full franchise that will include products, an interactive experience, and possibly even a live tour involving the characters.
Puffin Rock (Sept. 1, 2015) follows the tales of a young puffling named Oona as she explores creatures from the ocean, the sky, on the ground, and under it on a beautiful island off the Ireland coast with her little brother Baba. The series is designed to offer natural history lessons for young ones along the way.
And finally, Kulipari (2016) “follows poisonous frogs, scorpions and spinners who must go to war to ensure their power — and the survival of the world.” The series is based on a trilogy of books from former NFL Pro-bowl defensive end Trevor Pryce, written to inspire self confidence and the value of true friendship.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with such a diverse group of creative talent on these new Netflix series for kids,” said Netflix VP Erik Barmack in a statement. “The flexibility of our platform allows us to continually bring the best TV shows from around the world to our members, and these titles complement and extend what we currently offer — particularly for preschoolers and grade school adventure fans.”
These Netflix originals will be added to the service’s dedicated section for kids under 12. The series join TV shows and movies from partners including PBS, Disney Channel, and Dreamworks Animation.
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