Taika Waititi to Create Two Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Animated Series for Netflix

Taika Waititi is ready to bless your Netflix queue with some new Willy Wonka content and even more of those sneaky Oompa Loompas! The visionary filmmaker, who recently nabbed his first Oscar for his Jojo Rabbit screenplay, will be writing, directing, and executive producing two original animated series based on Roald Dahl's classic children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Netflix announced on Thursday that Waititi's first new streaming series will be based on the book's world and the characters in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, while the second will be a "wholly original take on the Oompa Loompas that builds out their world." These two series are part of an extended plan from Netflix to bring new screen life to Dahl's characters; the streaming platform is also looking to adaptMatilda, The BFG, and The Twits.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix's VP of original animation Melissa Cobb said in a statement, "In the words of Willy Wonka himself -- we are 'Delighted! Charmed! Overjoyed!' with Taika's appointment on this project. There is something undeniably Wonka-esque about Taika's creative flair and inimitable sense of humor and we cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited to leading the creative charge on these first of their kind, feature quality Netflix shows."

In addition to Jojo Rabbit, Waititi is known for his work on filmsWhat We Do in the Shadows (and its TV adaptation), Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Thor: Ragnarok. He's also slated to write and direct the next Thor sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder.

This news follows a deal Netflix made with Dahl's estate in 2018. In addition to the titles mentioned above, Netflix also nabbed the rights to Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, George's Marvellous Medicine, Boy--Tales of Childhood, Going Solo, The Enormous Crocodile, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, Henry Sugar, Billy and the Minpins, The Magic Finger, Esio Trot, Dirty Beasts, and Rhyme Stew.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was previously adapted for the silver screen in 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder, and 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp.