Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Peak TV has been very, verygood for adult animation.
Thats certainly true at Netflix.
And as bothThe SimpsonsandFamily Guyhave shown with their respective spinoffs, adult animation very much lends itself to universe-building.
So let me start by asking how you got to the point of doing aBig Mouthspinoff.
It was pretty organic.
We heard the pitch, and it was like, Yes, of course.
Since Netflix is relatively young and has mostly focused on continually doingnewthings, there havent been many spinoffs.
I believe this will be the first spinoff of a Netflix comedy series.
Does it feel like something of a watershed?
Its also a testament to the show and how much it has resonated with people all over the world.
And I love that its our first animated spinoff.
And now that youre in the spin-off business, how many more can we expect?
But I think within the comedy world, Human Resources is the only one currently.
Do you worry about doing too many of them?
Broadcast TV is now filled with three versions of every hit show it seems.
Do you think at some point you start doing a lot more?
We havent had that many spin-offs actually pitched.
I think its always a challenge, especially in the comedy space, with spinoffs.
A lot of times spinoffs sort of get smaller from the source material.
Adult animation has boomed as more big companies launch streaming services.
Is it possible the marketplace is already oversaturated, and that could bebadfor the genre?
I dont know if reality TV got better when we went from 50 shows to 500.
I think high water raises all boats.
Its really made everybody bring their A game across the entire industry.
Its awesome to see how much animation production is going on.
How do you check that you remain a leader with so much new competition?
And all of those pieces need to be rowing in the same direction and in total alignment.
I think staying ahead of the challenges thats crucial for the business.
Is that more of a challenge for Netflix?
We actually do have quite a bit of IP that weve pursued on the action and genre slate.
Some of the IP that weve looked at has been really rooted at the creator level.
Weve built our own IP.
A healthy balance is whats most important.
Is expanding the definition of what breaks out in adult animation one of your goals?
Oftentimes people reduce it to super-raunchy, dorm-room humor.
And I think the real story is so much broader than that.
Most people who have watchedHuman Resourcesso far have commented on the episodes that made them cry.
Its going to be a monumental show for the industry.
This is something we did with Kenya Barris and Kid Cudi.
Its a very modern, street fashionforward, art-forward, culture-forward execution on what would be a traditional rom-com.
And its going to blow peoples minds.
The cast is incredible.
People are laughing screening it, people are crying screening it.
Its obviously got a ton of music in it.
It looks like nothing else.
It just looks like candy, and you just want to jump into it.
Its so aspirational, its so different, yet its completely inviting and warm and a delight.
Ive been excited for your animated remake ofGood Times.
It was orderedback in 2020, but since then, you havent said much about it.
Where is it in the development pipeline?
That is such an iconic, gigantic title.
It means so much to so many people all over the world.
I think the timing is all about us getting it right.
Its going to be exquisite.
Thats always the case when you take something from live-action into animation.
And I think the team has absolutely figured that piece out.
Given the lead times for animation, Im guessing itll be at least another year before we see it?
Yeah, I think youre a year out.
Netflix has had such success finding shows from around the world and making them into global hits.
How much is international adult animation aside from anime part of your plan over the next few years?
We have executives all over the planet who are developing all sorts of content slates.
The show is so good.
So its a real mixture, and there are so many exciting things on the horizon.
It can come from anywhere.
The whole animation industry has really opened up.
Historically, broadcast networks liked animation because it was much more cost-effective.
The price tag was just smaller.
Is that still the case these days?
Theres also stuff that is super-premium and super-expensive.
I think its hard to say exactly.
I do think one of the challenges is how long the timelines have been to produce shows.
Most of these shows are still produced in a pipeline that dates back to the 1970s.
So I think youre going to see a lot of innovation.
That doesnt necessarily make anything cheaper, but I dont think its about that.
I think youre going to see ideas get to screen a lot quicker in the next few years.
Its top of mind for pretty much everyone in the industry.
It is absolutely crucial for our success.
Part of the joy of having an in-house studio is we can incubate so many of those relationships.
And it gives us the opportunity to nurture talent, nurture new voices.
Weve got an incredible inclusion and diversity team embedded in the animation team.
Weve got an incredible outreach team embedded in our process.
Right now, your shows are released via the binge model, like most titles on Netflix.
Is that something youre thinking about with animation?
I think nothing is off the table.
So I think in the next few years, youll see us trying different things.
It got such amazing reviews and seemed beloved by folks who watched it.
Look, we lovedTuca,and unfortunately, it just didnt find an audience on service.
We love the creative team.
We would love to do more with them.
So do you think it would be possible wed see something new from those producers?
I think its entirely possible.
We had such a great experience with them.
And I would like to think our relationship is fantastic.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
