Apple has acquired the rights to Fraggle Rock and has ordered a reboot of the series following a successful Apple TV+ spin-off Fraggle Rock: Rock On, according to Vulture.
The company premiered its own version of Fraggle Rock in April, with the Jim Henson Company returning to the characters of the series for a few specials, all shot on iPhones.
The success of those specials has meant Apple wants to expand its Fraggle Rock portfolio and has signed an exclusive deal to acquire the rights to the show.
Unlike Netflix, which pays a license fee every time someone watches a show on its platform, Apple has purchased the rights to the show permanently, meaning Fraggle Rock will become a permanent addition.
Apple’s deal will also see the reboot of the Fraggle Rock series, with full-length episodes.
Characters such as Wembley and Red will return for the new series, which will be produced by the Jim Henson Company, and existing shows – which aired between 1983 and 1987 – will be available to all Apple TV+ subscribers from today (May 27).
The deal will make the first time Apple has displayed “vintage” content on its platform.
Last week, we reported on the fact that Apple was planning to ink deals with studios to add more content to its back catalog. Apple wants to better compete with the likes of Amazon, Hulu, and Disney+, but a Vulture report contradicts these claims, suggesting that the firm is “uninterested” in buying old movies and content from other suppliers.
Fraggle Rock may be an exception to this rule, as Apple has already built up its own bank of Fraggle Rock-related content. The company may do the same for other titles like Peanuts.
Are you excited to see Fraggle Rock return to screens? Let us know on Twitter and check back soon for more news and rumors on Apple TV+ and the streaming sector, as we get it.
