Netflix is adding another show to its ever-growing slate of original children’s programming. The streaming platform has partnered with Ellen DeGeneres to produce an animated television version of the classic Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham.
Green Eggs and Ham will contain 13 episodes, hailing from Warner Bros. Animation, A Stern Talking To, Gulfstream Television, and DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production team. The animated series, about the adventures of Sam-I-Am and his inventor friend, will be executive produced by DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, Mike Karz, and David Dobkin. Green Eggs and Ham will take three years to make, and Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva has heard from sources it could be the most expensive animated TV show ever produced.
Jared Stern will write and serve as another executive producer for Green Eggs and Ham. Stern, who penned Wreck It Ralph and the upcoming Lego Movie sequel, reportedly pitched a film adaptation for Green Eggs and Ham to Warner Bros. years ago. Andreeva writes Stern’s project never took off. However, after getting a job at A Very Good Production and re-working Green Eggs and Ham into a TV series, Stern received support from DeGeneres. The writer sought permission from Seuss’ widow, pitched the idea to Netflix, and now the series is a go.
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DeGeneres made the announcement about Green Eggs and Ham at the end of an episode taping of her talk show, joking the show would combine two of her favorite things: “Dr. Seuss and binge-watching.”
Additionally, Netflix had its own fun in announcing the upcoming animated series via a rhyming press release:
Beverly Hills, Calif., April 29, 2015 –
Issued from Netflix headquarters.
Delivered straight to all reporters.We’d love to share some happy news
based on the rhymes of Dr. Seuss.
Green Eggs and Ham will become a show
and you’re among the first to know.In this richly animated production,
a 13-episode introduction,
standoffish inventor (Guy, by name)
and Sam-I-Am of worldwide fame,
embark on a cross-country trip
that tests the limits of their friendship.
As they learn to try new things,
they find out what adventure brings.
Of course they also get to eat
that famous green and tasty treat!Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content for Netflix
threw her quote into the mix:
“We think this will be a hit
Green Eggs and Ham is a perfect fit
for our growing slate of amazing stories
available exclusively in all Netflix territories.
You can stream it on a phone.
You can stream it on your own.
You can stream it on TV.
You can stream it globally.”
No release date has been announced for Green Eggs and Ham as of yet. However, production is slate to begin in May 2015 with Netflix eyeing a release date sometime in 2018.
