Today, Apple TV+ announced “El Deafo,” a charming and poignant three-part animated series for kids and families. Based on the No. 1 New York Times best-seller and Newbery Honor-winning graphic memoir, all episodes of “El Deafo” will premiere Friday, January 7, 2022, on Apple TV+.
The first trailer for the series, starring the voice talents of newcomer Lexi Finigan, Pamela Adlon (“Better Things,” “Bob’s Burgers“), Jane Lynch (“Glee,” “Harriet the Spy“) and Chuck Nice (“Star Talk“), is available now, and features an original song by indie artist Waxahatchee, entitled “Tomorrow.”
“El Deafo” follows perceptive young Cece (voiced by Finigan) as she loses her hearing and finds her inner superhero. Going to school and making new friends can be tough. Having to do both while wearing a bulky hearing aid on your chest? That takes superpowers! With a little help from her superhero alter ego El Deafo, Cece learns to embrace what makes her extraordinary.
The Apple Original series is executive produced and written by Will McRobb (“The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” “Harriet the Spy“). Author Cece Bell executive produces and narrates the series. “El Deafo” is co-executive produced by Claire Finn for Lighthouse Studios and directed by Gilly Fogg (“Bob the Builder“), with Mike Andrews as composer and featuring original music by Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee.
Waxahatchee’s energetic “El Deafo” soundtrack will be released on Friday, January 7 alongside the series, and is now available to pre-order. The single “Tomorrow” is currently available as a stream download.
“El Deafo” joins an award-winning lineup of original films and series for kids and families, including “Wolfboy and the Everything Factory” from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment; Daytime Emmy Award-winning “Ghostwriter” and “Helpsters” from Sesame Workshop; Academy Award-nominated animated film “Wolfwalkers”; new series from Peanuts and WildBrain including “The Snoopy Show“; “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the Daytime Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers; and upcoming series “Fraggle Rock” and “Harriet the Spy” from The Jim Henson Company. To date, Apple has inked overall deals with some of today’s most trusted franchises in kids and family programming, including Sesame Workshop and WildBrain (Peanuts); as well as a multi-year partnership with Skydance Animation to deliver groundbreaking, premium animated films and first-ever theatrical-quality animated television series to kids and families.
