BBC Studios and The Walt Disney Company have announced the first-ever animated feature film for Bluey, the Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning animated series.
The new deal sees Disney acquiring the global theatrical rights for the film, which will land in cinemas in 2027 under the Disney banner.
Bluey creator Joe Brumm will write and direct the film in collaboration with BBC Studios. Ludo Studio’s co-founders and directors Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson recently won the Variety Australia Entertainment 50 at Mediaweek 100.
The movie will continue the adventures of Bluey, a loveable, inexhaustible, blue heeler dog, who lives with her Mum, Dad and her little sister, Bingo, delivering the same charm and humor that made the television series a global phenomenon,
Brumm said: “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’ve always thought ‘Bluey’ deserved a theatrical movie. I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together. I’m excited to continue to partner with Cecilia Persson, Tom Fussell and the team at BBC Studios, and Dana Walden, Alan Bergman and Disney to bring this new ‘Bluey’ story to the big screen.”
Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, co-chairmen, Disney Entertainment, said: “Since its debut on Disney Jr. and Disney+, ‘Bluey’ has become a global phenomenon, uniting families everywhere with its heartfelt stories of play, imagination and connection. We are so proud to expand upon our relationship with BBC Studios to bring the magic of ‘Bluey’ to the big screen – for real life! – and we are deeply grateful to Joe Brumm for creating a world that continues to inspire and delight families everywhere.”
Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios, said: “We are incredibly excited to take ‘Bluey’ to cinemas given its extraordinary success on a global scale – it is some of the most popular IP in the world. It has been such a privilege to work with Joe and the team at Ludo on ‘Bluey’’s meteoric rise from inception through to becoming one of the most beloved TV shows of all time. BBC Studios has a long history of bringing the very best children’s television to the world in new and exciting ways, so working with Joe and the team, we felt a feature-length film was the natural next step. We are pleased to work with Disney on ‘Bluey’’s eagerly awaited theatrical debut and look forward to partnering with Dana, Alan, and the entire team on this momentous journey.”
Pearson and Aspinwall said: “Over the past eight years, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team of more than fifty artists and producers whose talent, dedication, and creativity have shaped ‘Bluey’ into the beloved series it is today. Their work has paved the way for this incredible opportunity to expand ‘Bluey’’s world onto the big screen. We’re excited to continue showing Queensland as a home for world-class talent and to share a new beautiful ‘Bluey’ story by Joe Brumm with families around the world.”
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 music created by “Bluey” composer Joff Bush.
The CG animated film will be produced by award-winning animation producer Amber Naismith (Happy Feet, The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie) with Richard Jeffery returning to co-direct (“Bluey” Series 1-3), Joe Brumm is executive producer, with Aspinwall and Pearson from Ludo Studio, alongside Justine Flynn for BBC Studios. For Disney, the film will be overseen by David Greenbaum, president of Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios, and his team.