Toy giant Mattel is set to embark on its latest cinematic venture with the development of the first animated theatrical movie based on the popular toy-inspired character ‘Bob the Builder.’
The film will feature Anthony Ramos, known for his role in ‘In the Heights,’ as the voice of the titular character, Roberto, who embarks on a construction project in Puerto Rico. As he tackles various challenges on the island, he immerses himself in Caribbean-Latin culture, discovering the true meaning of building.
Colombian-American writer Felipe Vargas is collaborating with Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico of the animation studio ShadowMachine to craft the story for the movie.
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This venture follows Mattel’s success with the Warner Bros ‘Barbie movie, which garnered over $1.4 billion in box office sales, leading to Mattel’s announcement of several other film and television projects.
Upcoming projects include a Netflix animated series titled ‘Masters of the Universe: Revolution,’ centered on Mattel’s ‘He-Man’ franchise, and a live-action ‘Polly Pocket’ film directed by Lena Dunham. Mattel Films is also developing projects based on popular toy lines such as ‘American Girl,’ ‘Hot Wheels,’ ‘Magic Ball,’ ‘Barney,’ and more.
The ‘Bob the Builder’ movie draws inspiration from the early 2000s British animated children’s series of the same name, created by Keith Chapman. The TV show, focusing on the character Bob and his friends, enjoyed a 12-season run. Mattel acquired Hit Entertainment, the company holding the rights to ‘Bob the Builder’ and other preschool properties, in 2011 for $680 million.
Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Films, expressed her hopes that the ‘Bob the Builder’ movie would introduce the beloved character to new audiences.
