Meet the Flummels of ‘Extinct’, Netflix’s Newest Animated Film About the Dangers of Extinction

Have you ever wanted to see a cartoon about donut-shaped animals who have to save their species from extinction by time traveling to the future? If you have, look no further than Extinct, Netflix newest animated film about the importance of wildlife conservation. Based on the trailer, the character designs, and the amazing voice cast, this movie is bound to capture the attention of kids of all ages.

As of the writing of this article, Extinct is only available to those with Sky Cinema packages or those subscribed to NOW TV. U.S. audiences need not despair, however, as Extinct makes its Netflix debut on Nov. 19, 2021.

This silly-sounding romp is the latest animated adventure from The Simpsons Movie director David Silverman and screenwriter Raymond S. Persi. The story follows two "flummels" named Op and Ed as they attempt to undo the mistakes that led to their species’ extinction. These intelligent, donut-shaped, furry animals used to live in the Galapagos Islands before they went extinct in 1835. The problem is, Op and Ed aren’t sure how they went extinct in the first place — they were time-traveling at the time.

After accidentally falling through a flowery wormhole to modern-day Shanghai, the flummels find themselves enjoying a slightly dangerous but very exciting new world until they learn a dire truth about the fate of their unusual species. Now, with the help of an adorable puppy named Clarance and a host of other extinct animals including a dodo and colorful triceratops, Op and Ed go on a hilarious quest to save their fellow flummels and avert extinction.

Extinct might seem like a silly movie about donut-shaped animals, but its message is one that’s all too important in today’s world. Humanity’s influence has caused the extinction of countless native species throughout our history, and despite conservative efforts, those extinctions are still common enough to make headlines. According to Scientific American, in 2020, we lost several species of orchids, plants, fish, frogs, salamanders, and bats, to name a few.

If pollution, deforestation, and climate change continue unabated in the coming years, it won't be long until every native species goes the way of the flummels. According to Peter Brannan's The Ends of the World, it's important to remember that it isn't the big extinction of animals like whales and elephants that we need to be careful about in the coming years. If the bees, plankton, and other species on the lowest rungs of the food web go extinct, we will be joining them before long.

Extinct has a pretty stellar voice cast and its two main characters are no strangers to comedy. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom stars as the adventurous Op, while Pitch Perfect’s Adam DeVine plays Ed, her wary partner in time. Other notable and familiar voices include Dr. Strange’s Benedict Wong, Community alum Ken Jeong, and comedian Reggie Watts.