Comedian Ricky Gervais, the creator and star of the original The Office series, is making his move in animated television with a new sitcom produced by Netflix. The adult series, Alley Cats, is set to arrive on the streamer in 2026.
Gervais will star in the show — which currently has an order for six 15-minute episodes — alongside Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, Diane Morgan, and also featuring Natalie Cassidy and Tony Way. The comic is also co-directing the series alongside Elliot Dear.
Alley Cats will also employ a 2D animation style pioneered by Blink Industries, an animation studio that worked on Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared and Dead End: Paranormal Park.
The show “follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life,” according to the streamer, and will feature the “signature style of heart and social commentary that audiences have come to expect” from Gervais.
“I play a fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs, who’s not as smart or brave as he thinks he is,” the British performer said of his role on the show. “So quite a stretch.”
Netflix released a first-look image from the series alongside the announcement, and it features a group of haggard-looking kitties sitting in various positions in front of a television.
We don’t have an exact release date yet for Gervais’ new project, but Netflix has confirmed it will arrive on their platform sometime next year.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
