The much-anticipated television adaptation of Shaun Tan’s illustrated anthology Tales from Outer Suburbia will premiere to Australian audiences 1 January 2026.

Tales from Outer Suburbia begins when Klara and Pim move to the suburbs with their mum Lucy. But their new neighbourhood isn’t what it seems. The kids face weird encounters and wondrous experiences as they struggle to stick together and adjust to their new lives.

The series stars newcomers Brooklyn Davies as Klara and Felix Oliver Vergés as Pim alongside Geraldine Hakewill as Lucy (Mum), Tony Nikolakopoulos as Grandpa and legendary British actress, comedian and writer Dawn French as Grandma.

Tales from Outer Suburbia is a 10 x 22 minute animated series with a "digitally handmade" aesthetic, created using cutting-edge CGI animation with a handcrafted stop-motion look and feel.  

The series comes to ABC iview and ABC Family after premiering at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which celebrates the best of international animation.

Shaun Tan’s Tales from Outer Suburbia airs from Thursday 1 January at 6am on ABC iview and Sundays at 7:30pm on ABC Family.

Tales from Outer Suburbia is a Highly Spirited and Flying Bark Productions production for the ABC and BYUtv. Major production investment from Screen Australia and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation in association with the ABC and BYUtv. Produced in New South Wales and Western Australia with Siamese and financed with support from Screenwest. International sales by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. Adapted from Shaun Tan's multi-award-winning book Tales from Outer Suburbia. Directed by Noel Cleary. Creative Director: Shaun Tan. Producers: Sophie Byrne and Alexia Gates-Foale. Co-producer: Francesca Hope. Executive Producers: Barbara Stephen, Bernadette O’Mahony, Andra Johnson Duke, Francesca Hope, Jeff Simpson, Julia Adams, Karen Vermeulen, Libbie Doherty.