By Justin RouillonWednesday 18 Dec 2024MoviesReading Time: 3 minutes
Main Image Supplied BBC Studios.
Bluey has set herself a date with the big screen, with the BBC and Disney announcing overnight the first ever animated feature film for Brisbane’s Heeler family.
The film will star vocal talent from the hit show including Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack as Bluey’s mum and dad, Chilli and Bandit Heeler, and will see Bluey’s composer Joff Bush providing the music.
Bluey’s creator Joe Brumm, who will write and direct the big screen debut, has said that he’s always hoped for Bluey to feature in a full length movie.
“I’ve always thought ’Bluey’ deserved a theatrical movie”, Brumm said in a statement. “I really enjoyed the experience of working with a longer format on ‘The Sign’ in Series 3, so going even further with a feature film feels like a natural extension of that.
“I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together.”
Bluey creator Joe Brumm watches on as his creation comes to life at Bluey’s World (supplied BBC Studios).
Disney will release the ’Bluey’ movie in theaters worldwide, followed by streaming on Disney+. The movie will also air on ABC iview and ABC Kids in Australia post-theatrical release.
Brumm, who has worked as the showrunner and main writer of Bluey since its debut in 2018, has also taken the opportunity to let fans know that while he will be working on the movie, he will be stepping back from the TV show.
“I always said I wouldn’t keep making the show if I thought I couldn’t make any new season as good as the last. This would have been the case for me with a potential season four, so I’ve decided to take a break from my involvement in the TV series.
“In the event I can’t wrap my head around doing more seasons myself, The Sign will mark my TV finale for Bluey and I wrote it as such.”
The Sign, a 28 minute special which aired earlier this year, had left fans wondering if the end was nigh for Bluey, with the Heelers putting their home on the market and eyeing off an interstate move.
But Bluey producers Sam Moor and Daley Pearson had both repeatedly said that it was not the end for Bluey.
Season 4 of Bluey has not been confirmed yet, but it appears that the hit show will go on despite its beloved creator turning his attention to the big screen.
“Bluey has completely changed my life. It’s been an immensely satisfying thing to be a part of, more than I can really put into words”, said Brumm.
“To walk away from it while it’s at such a height will seem crazy to some but, for now, I am finding it difficult to reach back genuinely into that four to six year old world and write authentically.”
“To be clear, this is not an announcement about the end of the show, but it is an acknowledgment that my focus will be on the film. Thank you for taking this show into your homes, the whole experience has been an impossible experience to describe.”
Over the last 6 years, Bluey has become a worldwide hit, this year becoming the most watched show in the US.
Produced locally by Ludo Studio, Bluey has shown off Brisbane and Queensland to the world, culminating in the tourist attraction Bluey’s World, located on the Brisbane River at Hamilton. New data from Tourism Research Australia has shown that in the year ending September 2024, Brisbane reached an all time high of $11 billion in visitor spending, and hit a never before seen 52.9 million visitor nights.