Dave Chappelle Lands Netflix Deal For 3 New Comedy Specials

Acclaimed comedian Dave Chappelle is making one heck of a comeback, and now he's locked up a deal with Netflix to drop a whole lot of fresh comedy goodness.

Variety reports Chappelle has signed an agreement with Netflix to release three comedy specials in 2017, to be produced by Chappelle and director Stan Lathan and include an original stand-up special, plus two never-before-seen shows from Chappelle's "personal vault" of material. The performances were filmed at the Hollywood Palladium and Austin City Limits, and mark Chappelle's first concert special releases in 12 years. Netflix plans to release the specials simultaneously in 2017. No exact date has been announced as of yet.

"Dave Chappelle is a legendary voice in comedy — searing, vital, and now more than ever, essential," said Lisa Nishimura, Netflix's vice-president of original documentary and comedy, in a statement. "Dave's three new specials promise to be some of the most anticipated events in comedy, and we are honored he will mark his global return on Netflix."

Chappelle was a cultural force and one of the biggest names in comedy when his Comedy Central series aired from 2003-2006. After the series wrapped, he took a break from stand-up for the next few years, returning to the scene around 2013, and has since maintained a sporadic live performance schedule. In 2014, the comedian hosted 10 consecutive sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall; his most recent return to the limelight came earlier this month, when Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live on November 12 with an episode that saw him revive a few of his beloved characters from Chappelle's Show.

Chappelle certainly still has a mind for pointed, hard-hitting comedy, and it'll be great to see him back on the small screen. The Netflix deal is also an interesting peak into how the comedy business has changed since Chappelle's Show was on the air a decade ago. In the mid-2000s, a cable show was the pinnacle for a comedian to break through. Now? Netflix specials are one of the hottest tickets around, and you don't even have to worry about commercial breaks or censors.

Are you glad to see Chappelle making a comeback?