Ricky Gervais’ ‘Alley Cats’ Trailer Out: Netflix OTT Release Date Set

Nine lives, zero f***s. That’s the tagline for Ricky Gervais’ brand-new Netflix animated series Alley Cats, and if the first trailer is anything to go by, it delivers on every syllable. In the first trailer for Ricky Gervais’ Netflix animated series Alley Cats, a group of foul-mouthed felines discuss life, death and other thought-provoking topics. Unveiled on June 22, 2026, ahead of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the trailer introduces the world to a gang of feral British street cats navigating the absurdities of everyday existence with Gervais’ trademark blend of grumpiness, heart, and social commentary.

Alley Cats OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch

The all-new adult animated comedy series is set to drop globally on Netflix on Friday, August 7th, 2026. The series will be available simultaneously across all Netflix territories worldwide, making it accessible to the platform’s 260+ million subscribers from day one.

Release Information

What the Trailer Reveals

Ricky Gervais is his trademark grumpy self, just in cat form, at the beginning of the trailer for Netflix’s Alley Cats, the comic’s return to adult animation. In the first trailer, a group of feral felines discuss a wide range of thought-provoking topics, delivering the kind of irreverent, boundary-pushing humor that has defined Gervais’ career.

Gervais and pals can be seen in the trailer exploring the big ideas, including life, love and death, as he lands his trademark mix of grumpiness, heart and social commentary alongside a 2D animation style produced by Blink Industries.

If the trailer reveals one thing, it’s that “Alley Cats” is several four-legged and distinctly family-unfriendly leaps from the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon “Top Cat.”

What is Alley Cats About?

The series follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats who seek companionship while ruminating about the struggles of everyday life, and it features a bold 2D animation style produced at the UK-based award-winning Blink Industries.

Alley Cats follows “a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life.” “From the funny to the absurd, the series is packed with Gervais’ signature style of heart and social commentary that audiences have come to expect.”

In his own words, Gervais describes his character as “a fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs, who’s not as smart or brave as he thinks he is.” Gervais’ character is, of course, chubby and orange, because for some reason that has come to equate “sarcastic TV cat” in the tradition of Garfield and Heathcliff.

Character Details

Ricky Gervais: The Man Behind the Cats

Ricky Dene Gervais (born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, television producer, filmmaker and former musician. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life’s Too Short (2011–2013) with Stephen Merchant. He also created, wrote, and starred in Derek (2012–2014) and After Life (2019–2022).

Throughout his career, Gervais has won numerous awards, including seven British Academy Television Awards, five National Comedy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and the Rose d’Or twice. He hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2020. On 31 May 2025, Gervais received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ricky Gervais Career Highlights

Gervais’ Return to TV and Animation

Aside from his stand-up comedies, “Alley Cats” marks Gervais’ return to TV as a creator for the first time since “After Life,” which ran for three seasons on Netflix from 2019-2022.

The series represents Gervais’ return to the adult animation game 13 years after the conclusion of HBO and Channel 4’s The Ricky Gervais Show, which was an animated version of the popular podcast from Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington.

He’s done voice work on “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “BoJack Horseman” and turned his “Ricky Gervais Show” podcast into 39 animated episodes. He also voiced a cat in the Netflix animated feature “The Willoughbys,” and has lent his voice to several other animated features including “Valiant” and last year’s “Dog Man” from DreamWorks Animation.

The Creative and Production Team

Gervais is creator, writer and director of Alley Cats, while Elliot Dear is co-director. Gervais exec produces for Derek Productions alongside Steven Hamilton Shaw of Shush Creative. Blink’s Hugo Donkin produces and Tang Heng (“Kung Fu Panda” 1 & 2) serves as production designer.

Production Credits

The Animation: Blink Industries

“Alley Cats” is being co-directed by Elliot Dear, with the animation from U.K.-based award-winning studio Blink Industries (“Dead End: Paranormal Park,” “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared”).

The animation comes from Blink Industries, the BAFTA-nominated UK studio behind Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared and Netflix’s Dead End: Paranormal Park, which works in a 2D style. The studio’s cult reputation for irreverent, boundary-pushing animation makes them a perfect fit for Gervais’ vision.

Gervais’ Excitement and Annecy Festival

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a trailer,” Gervais, the show’s creator, writer and director said in a statement. “I can’t wait for everyone to get to know these cats,” said Gervais, who is due to attend Annecy to discuss the series and introduce a world exclusive look at the first two episodes.

“Alley Cats” will be highlighted during the Next on Netflix presentation at Annecy on Wednesday, along with feature films like “Ray Gunn,” “Steps” and recent acquisition “In Waves.” Ahead of the series premiere, a masterclass with writer/director Ricky Gervais is happening later this week at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

The After Life Reunion

Netflix has revealed the first trailer and new photos for Ricky Gervais’ upcoming animated comedy ‘Alley Cats’ reuniting several ‘After Life’ stars. The voice booth doubles as a reunion of sorts, with Godliman and Way among the After Life regulars following him into animation.

This creative reunion ensures that the chemistry that made After Life such a beloved series will carry over into the animated realm, providing warmth beneath the profanity.

Netflix’s Adult Animation Legacy

Netflix has a strong history of adult animated sitcoms. Standouts include BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth and Bill Burr’s F Is for Family. Alley Cats joins this prestigious lineup, bringing a distinctly British perspective to Netflix’s adult animation roster.

On paper, feral cats are an odd vehicle for the social commentary Gervais usually channels through people, but the conceit gives him room to be cruder and stranger than live action would allow. Blink’s hand-drawn look and the clipped 15-minute runtime point to something closer to a sketch-driven character piece than a traditional sitcom.

First-Look Images and Visual Style

Alongside the trailer, Netflix has unveiled a slate of first-look images that show off the series’ striking and bold 2D animation style. The animation is being handled by the UK-based award-winning studio Blink Industries, the brilliant minds behind Netflix’s Dead End: Paranormal Park and the viral sensation Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. The new images give us a fantastic look at the diverse, scruffy, and hilarious cast of street cats.

Gervais at Annecy and Upcoming Projects

He is at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week delivering a masterclass and just announced a Netflix special and UK tour. He is currently touring Mortality, which Netflix will also film, and his name, of course, still carries the weight of The Office, the most successful British comedy ever made, shown in more than 90 countries and remade 13 times.

Gervais’ Upcoming Projects

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