Pretty quickly, Taika Waititi went from being the guy that released a new film every couple of years, pleased his rabid following, and then went back and started work on something new. Now, in a post-“Thor: Ragnarok” world, Waititi is working seemingly non-stop, scoring big with a superhero film that almost made more than $850 million, an Oscar-winning WWII satire (“Jojo Rabbit”), a hit FX series (“What We Do In The Shadows”), a new sports comedy (the upcoming “Next Goal Wins”), a superhero sequel (“Thor: Love & Thunder”), “The Mandalorian” Disney+ series, a couple of other TV projects, and maybe even a “Star Wars” film. We assume somewhere in there, he takes time to eat, sleep, and talk to more studios about future projects.
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Actually, we know he does that last bit because today, Netflix announced (via Variety) that Waititi is set to write and direct an animated series based on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Oh wait, that’s not completely true. He’s going to write and direct a ‘Charlie’ series, as well as a second animated series based on the Oompa-Loompas. Seriously, Mr. Waititi, please take care of yourself because this is getting a bit ridiculous.
“The shows will retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time,” the streaming service said in a statement.
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“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,” said Netflix Vice President of Original Animation Melissa Cobb. “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.”
READ MORE: Taika Waititi Teaming Up With Jude Law For Hollywood Satire Show ‘The Auteur’ At Showtime
Kidding aside, Waititi is a great filmmaker with a completely unique voice (both figuratively and literally—you can spot his voice a mile away), and we’re pleased that he has so many new projects on the horizon. And it appears from the report, Netflix is hoping that Waititi’s new series can kick off a big partnership between the streamer and the Roald Dahl Story Company.
