Ricky Gervais Is Back: New Netflix Series Drops Summer 2026

Ricky Gervais is back doing what he does best: making TV, this time with a twist. He’s swapped the paper-stacked offices, hospitals, and afterlife for—get this—a bunch of British street cats. Yep, the next project from the guy behind ‘The Office’ and ‘After Life’ is an adult animated sitcom called 'Alley Cats.' And it’s coming to Netflix… eventually.

What’s ‘Alley Cats’ All About?

The show is basically about a bunch of scruffy, opinionated London alley cats. Gervais describes it as tracking 'the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life.' In other words, think less Garfield, more existential crises and biting social commentary (the Ricky Gervais brand, basically).

Expect all the charm and edge Gervais is known for: uncomfortable truth-telling, plenty of dry humor, and maybe a little heart hiding underneath all the cattiness. The official Netflix drop date is August 7, 2026, so yeah, mark your calendar but don’t block off your week just yet.

Gervais, Cats, and Familiar Faces

One thing Gervais loves to do is recycle his favorites—and honestly, if it works, why not? He’s playing the main cat, Gus, and here’s how he introduces him:

'Fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs, who’s not as smart or brave as he thinks he is.'

Feels very self-aware, even by Gervais standards.

There’s a whole pack of his regular collaborators in on this too. You’ll recognize:

• Diane Morgan ('After Life') as Olive
• Jo Hartley ('After Life') as Kitten
• Tom Basden ('After Life') as Ponce
• Andrew Brooke ('After Life') as Fang
• David Earl ('Derek', also 'After Life') brings a character called Puke (yes, really)
• Kerry Godliman ('After Life')
• Tony Way ('After Life')
• Natalie Cassidy ('EastEnders')

Obviously, if you watched 'After Life' or 'Derek', this casting will feel like déjà vu.

Animation, Studio, and Where This Fits in Netflix’s Weird Menagerie

On the nuts and bolts side: 'Alley Cats' animation duties fall to Blink Industries, the folks who gave the world 'Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared' and 'Dead End: Paranormal Park.' So you can probably expect a look that’s not exactly your standard Saturday morning cartoon vibe.

As for Netflix and adult animation—no shortage of competition. Heavy hitters like 'Bojack Horseman,' 'Arcane,' and 'Big Mouth' have set a pretty high bar, while shows like 'F Is For Family' and 'Tuca & Bertie' have cult followings (even if Big Red N sometimes yanks them away too soon). On the other hand, blink and you missed it releases like 'Strip Law' remind you that not every adult cartoon becomes a meme machine.

Gervais already has Netflix cred, thanks to his past series and stand-up specials, but 'Alley Cats' will have to carve out its own territory in a pretty crowded alley.

Where’s the Footage?

Don’t go hunting for trailers just yet. Visually, official previews are limited to a couple images, so for now it’s all up to your imagination.

So, August 2026. Animated British cats. Gervais snarking and philosophizing behind a furball. Will it be the next cult hit, or just a curiosity in Netflix’s ever-growing back catalog? We'll see if this pack of strays finds its audience—or if they wind up just hissing at each other in the dark.