Netflix Builds Animation Roster as ‘Gravity Falls’ Creator Inks Overall Deal

Netflix is pushing further into animation.

The streaming giant has signed Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch to a multiyear overall deal.

Under the pact, Hirsch will create and develop new TV series and features for Netflix.

“Alex is an imaginative storyteller with new ideas who’s quickly developed a reputation as a fresh new voice in animation,” Netflix originals vp Cindy Holland said Monday in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with him as we continue expanding our adult animated slate.”

The deal arrives as adult animation has become more of a breakout genre of late as streamers including Netflix, Apple and Amazon continue to make aggressive plays in the space. Netflix recently teamed with The Simpsons creator Matt Groening for the animated series Disenchantment and next has Tuca & Bertie from BoJack Horseman duo Lisa Hanawalt and Raphael Bob-Waksberg as part of a slate that also includes F Is for Family and Big Mouth, among others.

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For his part, Hirsch earned an Annie and BAFTA Award for his work on Disney Channel/Disney XD’s animated series Gravity Falls. The series ran for two seasons and continued as a graphic novel, which went on to become a New York Times best-seller. More recently, he co-wrote the upcoming Pokemon movie Detective Pikachu and contributed story work to Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing roster of talent coming to Netflix,” said Hirsch. “Plus, it couldn’t hurt to be on The Algorithm’s good side before The Singularity hits. Awesome things are coming!”

Hirsch, who is repped by UTA and Morris Yorn, joins a rapidly growing roster of producers with Netflix pacts including Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, Jenji Kohan, Mark Millar and more.