Netflix is taking on a Dr. Seuss classic for its biggest original children’s series bet to date, giving 13-episode order to Green Eggs and Ham from executive producers Jared Stern, Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, Mike Karz, David Dobkin and Warner Bros. Animation. Wreck-It-Ralph scribe Stern, who has worked on The Lego Movie sequel, is writing the adaptation.
It will take three years to make the series — production is slated to begin in May for a 2018 premiere. I hear the project, 
distributed by Warner Bros. TV, is expected to be the highest-end, most expensive animated program ever produced for television. There are no current plans for DeGeneres, known for her great work in Finding Nemo, to voice a character. She announced the series to her audience at the end of today’s taping of her syndicated talk show, to air tomorrow.
“This show is gonna combine two of my favorite things – Dr. Seuss and binge watching,” she quipped. Here is the video:
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Green Eggs and Ham took a long road to the screen. I hear Stern, a animation film writer, originally pitched an idea for a Green Eggs and Ham feature to Warner Bros. years ago. The project was developed with Dobkin, his then-producing partner Kleeman and Karz. For one reason or another, the feature adaptation didn’t take flight. Kleeman switched mediums with a new job running DeGeneres’ WBTV-based company A Very Good Production. He revisited Green Eggs and Ham, this time looking to adapt it as a TV series, an idea that was embraced by DeGeneres. The team was reassembled, with Stern, Kleeman, Dobkin and Karz, whose company Gulfstream Television just inked an overall deal with WBTV, redeveloping the pitch as a 13-episode half-hour series of 6 mini-movies.
With a 45-minute pitch in place, Stern and Kleeman drove down to San Diego to meet with Dr. Seuss’ widow Audrey Geisel. The two were taken to Dr. Seuss’ house where they were given 5 minutes with Geisel. She ended up hearing the full 45-minute pitch and giving them her blessing, along with notes, which the project’s producers incorporated.
The series was taken out to one place only, Netflix, as I hear the team felt that was the only place that could do the series at the budget and timetable (3 years of production) needed for them to fully realize their vision. Numbers are kept under wraps but I have heard $5-6 million an episode mentioned. The deal was completed after months of negotiations.
First published in 1960, Green Eggs and Ham, written using 50 words, follows an unnamed protagonist followed around by the chirpy Sam-I-Am who is pestering him to try green eggs and ham.
Netflix’s team had some fun with the announcement, providing a rhymed press release written as an homage to Dr. Seuss.
NETFLIX ORDERS GREEN EGGS AND HAM
THIRTEEN EPISODES FOR THE WHOLE FAMIn 2018, This Classic Book
Comes to TV with a Whole New LookBeverly 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.”
Green Eggs and Ham is from A Very Good Production, A Stern Talking To and Gulfstream Television in association with Warner Bros Animation, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television.
ICM Partners reps Ellen DeGeneres, A Very Good Production and Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Stern is repped by Marc Provissiero, Helena Heyman, WME and attorney Karl Austen.
Can Netflix really make any money if they are spending a total of $65 million to $78 million for the 13 half-hours? They should be making the episodes for one million each instead of five or six million each. That’s crazy arithmetic.
Very crazy and I envy those getting that Netflix money.
Sounds awesome!
Always loved the books. They’re not just for kids! Can’t wait to watch this with my little ones. Not enough shows that parents and little ones can watch together. THANK YOU ELLEN!
“Little ones” usually used by pearl clutchers.
“Wreck-it-Ralph scribe”? “Who’s working on the Lego Movie sequel”? Jared was fired from Lego 2 long ago after turning in a dud treatment. And he ended up with only an “additional dialog” credit on Ralph because he was rewritten so much. Nice guy, but his reps are stretching the truth a bit too much using those as official credits…
Lol someone has a personal vendetta against Jared Stern #jealousmuch
So are you saying that show cost more to produce then Star Wars the clone wars ?
As for the cost, it’s marketing; how many parents will cough up the $8 so their kids can watch? It’s a lot of money but a good way to attract new audiences and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other Seuss adaptations, too.
I hope the writers delve into the allegory of the story; Seuss was a brilliant (and progressive) political satirist. GE&H is more than a kid who doesn’t want to try the food. It’s about racism that was common during the pre-civil rights movement, the stupidity of blindly judging something based on its color, etc. etc.
Good move for Netflix, if they do it right. If not, it’ll be a black eye for many, many years.
Lets give Gulfstream exec Josie Rosen some props for bringing Jared Stern onboard all those years ago!
All we need is another cartoon. Maybe it should be renamed “Eggs and green ham.”
That cost is CRAZY and totally out of line with any sort of kids programming….no matter how great it may or may not be. Seuss name is totally un-marketable outside the US….he writes in rhyme which doesn’t translate and, thus, the books have never sold internationally. Look at any Seuss-based features…..the international was a tiny piece of the WWBO. So their excitement about launching this globally is unfounded. Whoever OK-ed this project at that price neither understands Kids TV nor Seuss.
Ellen will do a great job. Can’t wait to see it. http://5starblog.com/?s=netflix
That is so cool, I love Dr.Suess books