The Roald Dahl Story

What The Roald Dahl Story does

The Roald Dahl Story Company Limited is a private UK intellectual property holding and licensing company, registered in England and Wales (company no. 11099347), headquartered at 30 Berners Street, London, with an operational office at 5 Berkeley Mews, London. It controls the copyrights, trademarks (including the registered ROALD DAHL mark), and licensing rights to the complete literary catalog of Roald Dahl — Quentin Blake's illustrations remain inseparable from the brand under a licensing arrangement. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Netflix following its acquisition, and was not independently funded through venture capital.

The firm's core product surface comprises the roalddahl.com digital platform, the underlying book library of eight flagship titles (The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Enormous Crocodile, Fantastic Mr Fox, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Twits, The Witches), and a slate of theatrical and screen adaptations. The digital platform features an age-gated dual-track experience (child vs. adult), PRIVO-certified privacy compliance (COPPA Safe Harbor, GDPRkids, UK Children's Code), quiz delivery via Riddle without personal-data collection, and Vimeo-hosted video with Do Not Track. Theatrical co-productions include the Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical (13+ years in the West End, 100+ international awards), the National Theatre's The Witches musical (2023), The Enormous Crocodile musical on UK tour, and an upcoming BFG adaptation with RSC and Chichester Festival Theatre (Nov 2025–April 2026). Screen content with Netflix covers The Twits animated film (2025), the upcoming Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory (2027), and the reality series Wonka's The Golden Ticket (Sept 2026).

Revenue is generated through five licensing streams — theatrical, screen, publishing (via Puffin), consumer products (via Star Editions), and brand partnerships (Sainsbury's, One Aldwych, Warner Bros) — with no direct consumer subscription pricing on the publisher's own properties and no public financial disclosure. A workforce of 11–50 supports a lean, IP-centric operating model. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the flagship digital and educational properties are offered free, with monetisation occurring at the licensee and stage-ticketing levels.

Name

The Roald Dahl Story

Legal name

The Roald Dahl Story Company Limited

Website

https://roalddahl.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Roald Dahl Story Company is a London-based private subsidiary of Netflix that owns, manages, and licenses the literary copyrights, trademarks, and theatrical/screen adaptation rights of author Roald Dahl across publishing, West End and touring musicals, animated and live-action films, consumer products, and educational resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Literary IP Licensing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Literary & Classics Publishing (MPAJAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Art, Photography & Illustrated Books Publishing (MPAJAAAF)

Keywords

• Children's literary IP
• Story licensing
• Theatrical adaptations
• Children's book publishing
• Family entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Theatrical Licensing and Productions: Revenue from stage adaptations of Roald Dahl stories produced in partnership with theatre companies. Matilda The Musical has been running in London's West End for over 13 years. The company co-produces shows with Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, and Chichester Festival Theatre.
2. Screen Content Licensing: Film and television adaptations including Matilda The Musical on Netflix and BBC iPlayer, animated film Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory (2027), The Twits animated film (Netflix 2025), and Wonka's The Golden Ticket reality series (2026)
3. Publishing Royalties: Books published through Puffin including classic editions, new story collections, and novelisations. Over 300 million books sold globally in 63 languages.
4. Consumer Products: Licensed merchandise including books, themed products manufactured and fulfilled by Star Editions Limited through the online shop
5. Brand Partnerships: Partnerships with brands like Sainsbury's for BFG Christmas campaigns, One Aldwych for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea experiences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Roald Dahl Story Company manages the literary works, copyrights, and trademarks of author Roald Dahl. It licenses and co-produces theatrical stage adaptations (Matilda The Musical, The Witches, The BFG), screen adaptations for streaming platforms, and publishes books through Puffin. The company also develops educational resources, licensed consumer products, and brand partnership activations featuring iconic characters like Matilda, Charlie Bucket, and The BFG.

Product overview

The Roald Dahl Story Company manages Roald Dahl's literary and theatrical portfolio across multiple formats. Its core offering consists of the roalddahl.com digital platform and the underlying book library (8 flagship titles illustrated by Quentin Blake). The theatrical division produces stage shows — most prominently the long-running Matilda The Musical (RSC), alongside newer productions including The Witches Musical (National Theatre), The Enormous Crocodile Musical, The BFG stage adaptation, and The Magic Finger online reading. Screen adaptations include Matilda The Musical (streaming on Netflix and BBC iPlayer), the upcoming Netflix animated film The Twits (2025), Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory (2027), and the reality competition series Wonka's The Golden Ticket (September 2026). Educational extensions include quizzes (via Riddle), lesson plans (aligned to UK Key Stages 1-2), and downloadable craft activities. A new short story collection — The Terrible Miss Trunchbull and Other Tales of Tricks & Villainy — publishes in September 2026. All products are managed in partnership with parent company Netflix and licensed through Puffin for publishing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RoaldDahl.com Website The primary consumer-facing digital platform for The Roald Dahl Story Company, offering story exploration, stage and screen content, educational quizzes, lesson plans, and age-appropriate experiences for children and adults.
• Roald Dahl Stories (Books) A collection of Roald Dahl children's books including The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Enormous Crocodile, Fantastic Mr Fox, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Twits, and The Witches, with Puffin and Classic editions illustrated by Quentin Blake.
• Matilda The Musical Multi-award-winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, with book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin. Over 100 international awards and 15 years on stage in London's West End.
• The Witches Musical Stage musical adaptation of The Witches produced in partnership with the National Theatre, featuring original songs and score by Dave Malloy. Premiered at the National Theatre in November 2023.
• The Enormous Crocodile Musical Family musical featuring puppets and original songs, based on Roald Dahl's picture book. Premiered at Leeds Playhouse with subsequent runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and The Lowry Manchester, and currently on UK tour.
• The BFG Stage Production New stage adaptation of The BFG by Tom Wells, directed by Daniel Evans. Premieres at Royal Shakespeare Theatre in November 2025 in co-production with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Chichester Festival Theatre.
• The Magic Finger Online Production Filmed theatrical reading produced with Unicorn Theatre, starring Corinna Brown and Lucy Mangan. Released free online to UK schools and families as a digital educational resource.
• Matilda The Musical (Streaming) Film adaptation of the stage musical, directed by Matthew Warchus. Streams on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Stars Alisha Weir as Matilda and Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull.
• The Twits Animated Film Netflix animated film based on The Twits book, written and directed by Phil Johnston and animated by Jellyfish Pictures. Features voice cast including Natalie Portman, Margo Martindale, Johnny Vegas, and Emilia Clarke. Releasing in 2025.
• Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory Netflix animated film featuring Kit Connor as Charlie Paley and Taika Waititi as Willy Wonka, with original songs and new characters. Directed by Jared Stern and Elaine Bogan from Sony Pictures Imageworks, releasing in 2027.
• Wonka's The Golden Ticket Netflix reality competition series inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 12 golden ticket winners navigate challenges in Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Premieres 23 September 2026 with two-part finale on 30 September 2026.
• The Terrible Miss Trunchbull and Other Tales of Tricks & Villainy New Puffin short story collection featuring 10 villain-focused tales written by contemporary storytellers and illustrated by Rikin Parekh. Published in hardback, trade paperback, audio, and ebook in September 2026.
• Roald Dahl Quizzes Interactive quizzes including personality quizzes, knowledge quizzes, and the Mega series for each story. Delivered via the Riddle platform.
• Roald Dahl Lesson Plans Free educational lesson plans aligned with UK Key Stage 1 and 2 learning objectives, spanning English, Maths, STEM, Art, PSHE, Drama, Geography, Computing, Design and Technology, and Music. Over 40 lesson plans available across all major Roald Dahl stories.
• Roald Dahl Activities Downloadable craft activities including origami, colouring pages, word searches, mazes, and experiments tied to Roald Dahl stories such as Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, and The Twits.
• The Wonka Afternoon Tea Branded afternoon tea experience at One Aldwych, London, inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Features fizzy lifting drinks, snozzberry jam, and chocolate-themed culinary offerings.
• Roald Dahl Brand Licensing & Partnerships Consumer products, brand partnerships, immersive experiences, and games developed under licence from The Roald Dahl Story Company, in partnership with parent company Netflix. The shop on roalddahl.com is fulfilled by Star Editions Limited.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 million books sold globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PuffincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 June 2026Publishing partner for Roald Dahl books. Publishing new collections including The Terrible Miss Trunchbull and Other Tales of Tricks & Villainy (September 2026) featuring contemporary storytellers and illustrations by Klauss Flugge Prize longlisted artist Rikin Parekh. Also published Charlie and the Christmas Factory.
• Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2025Co-producing The BFG stage adaptation with Tom Wells adapting and Daniel Evans directing. The production will premiere at Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (November 2025 - January 2026) for a 10-week run. RSC Co-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey are overseeing the production.
• Chichester Festival TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2025Co-producing The BFG stage adaptation alongside RSC. The production will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from March-April 2026. Chichester Festival Theatre Artistic Director Justin Audibert is overseeing the co-production.
• NetflixflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetflix is the parent company of The Roald Dahl Story Company and serves as the primary distribution platform for screen adaptations. Current projects include Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory animated film (2027), The Twits animated film (2025), and Matilda The Musical streaming. The company is working with Netflix on animated and live action films, series, and other content.
• National TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producing The Witches musical with The Roald Dahl Story Company. The production received critical acclaim with five-star reviews and additional performance dates added due to demand. The production features music and lyrics by Dave Malloy.
• Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal producer of Matilda The Musical with book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin. The multi-award winning musical has been running in London's West End for over 13 years.
• Star Editions LimitedcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed manufacturer and fulfiller of all products sold through the roalddahl.com shop. Products include books and branded merchandise. Purchases are made directly with Star Editions subject to their terms of sale and privacy policy.
• TwinklminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation resource partnership providing over 200 Roald Dahl themed teaching resources available through Twinkl's platform for educators and parents.
• One AldwychminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed afternoon tea experience at One Aldwych hotel in London's Covent Garden, featuring Wonka-inspired treats and beverages.
• Sainsbury'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership for BFG Christmas campaign featuring TV advert showcasing festive flavours of Taste the Difference products with BFG characters.
• Warner BrosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerContent partnership for Wonka movie promotion including #WonkaPureImaginationContest offering prizes related to the film.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dr. Seuss Enterprises: Manages the literary IP, licensing, and adaptations of Dr. Seuss — the closest analog as a single-author children's literary estate monetizing across books, film, TV, theatrical, and consumer products. Both companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of larger media platforms.
• The Jim Henson Company: Family-entertainment IP holder and producer that licenses characters across film, TV, stage, and consumer products. Comparable operating model of stewarding a beloved creator's legacy across multiple entertainment formats.
• Astrid Lindgren Company: Manages the literary and entertainment rights of Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking). Direct peer: a single-author children's literary estate monetizing through publishing, film, theatrical, and licensing globally.
• Agatha Christie Limited: Estate company that controls literary IP and licenses adaptations across books, theatre, and screen. Comparable as a literary-estate IP holder that drives value primarily through licensing rather than direct production.
• The Tolkien Estate: Stewards J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works and licenses film, TV, theatrical, games, and merchandise rights. Highly comparable as a literary IP licensing estate with global multi-format monetization.
• Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne / Penguin Random House UK): Long-running children's literary IP (Peter Rabbit) monetized through publishing, animation, and consumer products for over a century. Highly comparable as a classic British children's literary estate with durable multi-generational appeal.

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House: World's largest trade publisher and the actual publisher of Dahl's books through its Puffin imprint. Functions as both a key commercial counterparty and a broader benchmark for the publishing-and-licensing business model Dahl sits within.
• Scholastic: Major children's book publisher and education-content platform. Comparable in combining trade publishing with curriculum-aligned educational resources — overlapping with Dahl's lesson-plan and school channel strategy.
• The Walt Disney Company: Largest family-entertainment IP conglomerate with comparable multi-format monetization (publishing, theatrical, screen, parks, consumer products). Useful as the upper-bound benchmark for what scaled, multi-format children's IP portfolios can achieve.
• Hasbro: Entertainment and toy company that monetizes IP across consumer products, theatrical, and screen (e.g., Peppa Pig acquisition via eOne). Comparable as an IP-licensing-and-merchandising platform, though at much greater scale and with owned toy manufacturing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/roald_dahl

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Roald Dahl Story