Kids Shows ‘Skylanders Academy,’ 'Spy Kids’ Coming to Netflix

Netflix will launch five original animated shows for kids and has renewed Kong: King of the Apesfor season two, debuting next year. The action-comedy Skylanders Academy, from Activision Blizzard Studios, follows the adventures of a ragtag group of heroes protecting the Skylands universe from evildoers. Eric Rogers (Futurama) runs the show, with voice help from Justin Long, Ashley Tisdale and Breaking Bad tough guy Jonathan Banks.

Thirteen episodes debut this fall, with a second season in late 2017.

Llama Llama, from Genius Brands, is based on the book series by Anna Dewdney and is set to premiere in 2017.The show is about “childhood moments and adventures, as well as the special connections between lead character Llama, his parents, grandparents and best friends,” according to Netflix.

Spirit Riding Free, from DreamWorks Animation, is inspired by the film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, about a wild mustang that could not be tamed. It comes out in 2017.

Spy Kids: Mission Critical comes from The Weinstein Company and isbased on the family film franchise of the same name. Brother and sister team Juni and Carmen Cortez attend a top secret spy school for kid agents and lead a crew against the forces of S.W.A.M.P. (Sinister Wrongdoers Against Mankind's Preservation). The series comes out in 2018.

Hilda comes from Silvergate and transforms the Luke Pearson graphic novels. The series chronicles the journey of a fearless blue-haired girl as she travels from her home in a magical wilderness full of elves and giants to the bustling city of Trolberg, where she makes new friends and discovers mysterious creatures.

Hilda comes out in 2018.

“At Netflix, we invest in stories that our members will love and cherish,” said Andy Yeatman, director of global kids content at Netflix. “This passion for discovering great storytelling extends to what we offer our youngest members, and we’re excited to announce a lineup of original shows that will bring a number of well-known and beloved characters to kids and families around the globe.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.