Ricky Gervais Is Back on Netflix — And His New Animated Series Alley Cats Looks Absolutely Unhinged

Ricky Gervais Is Bringing His Most Outrageous Creation Yet to Netflix

If you thought Ricky Gervais couldn't push boundaries any further, think again. The comedian just dropped the first trailer for Alley Cats — a 6-part adult animated series hitting Netflix on August 7, 2026 — and it is gloriously, unapologetically filthy.

This marks Gervais' first return to television as a creator since After Life, which ran for three seasons on Netflix from 2019 to 2022. If his track record with shows like The Office and Extras is any indication, this one's going to be special. Or at least incredibly controversial.

What Is Alley Cats About?

Described as a slacker sitcom, Alley Cats follows a group of British feral cats from all walks of life who hang out, complain, and ruminate on the everyday absurdities of existence. Yes, you read that correctly — cats. But these are not your Disney The Aristocats or Hanna-Barbera Top Cat type of friendly neighborhood felines.

The trailer, which premiered today at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, features the cats discussing topics like how they'd like to die, plotting to take down an overweight child, and recounting their wild nights out. Family-friendly this is absolutely not.

Gervais himself voices one of the main characters — described as a fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs. Naturally.

The All-Star Voice Cast

Gervais brought in many of his longtime collaborators for the voice cast, and it reads like a who's who of British comedy:

• Ricky Gervais — lead voice (the fat, lazy, rude cat)
• Diane Morgan — best known for playing Philomena Cunk and starring in Cunk on Earth
• Kerry Godliman — from Derek and Bo Burnham: Inside
• David Earl — star of Gervais' own Life's Too Short
• Tom Basden — writer and actor from Plebs
• Andrew Brooke, Jo Hartley, Natalie Cassidy, and Tony Way round out the ensemble

Behind the Animation

The series is co-directed by Elliot Dear, with animation from UK-based Blink Industries — the award-winning studio behind Dead End: Paranormal Park and Don't Hug Me I'm Scared. If you know those shows, you already know the visual style is going to be something special.

Production design is handled by Tang Heng, who worked on Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 for DreamWorks Animation. Executive producers include Gervais via Derek Productions, Steven Hamilton Shaw of Shush Creative (Gnomeo & Juliet), and Blink's Hugo Donkin.

Should You Be Excited?

Gervais himself said he'd never been so excited about a trailer. That's a bold statement from someone who's been in the game for over two decades.

If you're a fan of Gervais' brand of dark, unfiltered comedy — and you appreciated shows like Big Mouth on Netflix, BoJack Horseman, or Tuca & Bertie — Alley Cats is shaping up to be a must-watch. Premiering August 7, 2026 on Netflix, with a world exclusive screening of the first two episodes at Annecy this week.

Buckle up. The internet is not ready for what's coming.