Netflix announced on Tuesday that it’s obtained the rights to several of Roald Dahl’s classic stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, The Twits, and Matilda. Because like death and taxes, reboots/remakeshave becomethe fabricof our lives (it’s almost as if we keep rebooting the conversation about reboots).
In the release announcing the pact, Netflix said it “intends to remain faithful to the quintessential spirit and tone of Dahl,” but notes it plans to build out an imaginative story universe that expands beyond the books.
“Our mission, which is purposefully lofty, is for as many children as possible around the world to experience the unique magic and positive message of Roald Dahl’s stories,” said Roald Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, “This partnership with Netflix marks a significant move toward making that possible and is an incredibly exciting new chapter for the Roald Dahl Story Company. Roald would, I know, be thrilled.”
I would like to see how Netflix takes on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—hopefully, the kids are just as bratty but with Snapchat and vape pens. The BFG is a beautiful tale of friendship and the human heart, but Steven Spielberg’s adaptation looked kind of snoozy, so even there, I’ll reserve judgment. But it’s hard to imagine Netflix recapturing the timeless charm of Matilda. The cereal scene transitioning into her living room dance party backed by “Little Bitty Pretty One” is still a piece of cinematic magic. Good luck to Netflix.
