Netflix buys rights to create animated series based on Roald Dahl's books

Netflix has added another feather in its cap -- the license to create a whole universe based on Roald Dahl's some of the most beloved books and characters.

The streaming giant said it has partnered with The Roald Dahl Story Company to roll out original animated event series, based on Dahl's famous literary works like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Matilda," "The BFG," "The Twits" and others.

The deal covers 16 different properties, including lesser known works like "Esio Trot," "The Enormous Crocodile," and "Billy and the Minpins."

In a statement, Netflix said it "intends to remain faithful to the quintessential spirit and tone of Dahl while also building out an imaginative story universe that expands far beyond the pages of the books themselves."

Roald Dahl's widow, Felicity Dahl said, "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."

"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," she added.

The author is quite popular with children and has sold more than 200 million books worldwide. His stories have been translated in 58 languages.

Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids & Family Content at Netflix, said: "We have great creative ambition to reimagine the journeys of so many treasured Dahl characters in fresh, contemporary ways with the highest quality animation and production values."

Production is set to commence on the first of the animated series in 2019.