“Can they film it? Yes, they can!” Mattel Films, ShadowMachine, Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Anthony Ramos are working on a new animated feature based on Bob the Builder, the popular and long-running series created by Keith Chapman back in 1991. According to Deadline the movie will introduce a new re-imagined version of the favorite construction worker. It follows Roberto aka Bob (Ramos), who travels to the enchanting Island of Puerto Rico for a major construction job, takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. According to the producers, Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colorful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people.
The movie will star Ramos (In the Heights, Hamilton, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) who is billed as a producer with Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico of the Oscar-winning studio ShadowMachine (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, In the Know). Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina are also co-producing. Felipe Vargas (Milk Teeth, Rosario) is writing the script.
Bob the Builder was first created by Keith Chapman and designed by Curtis Jobling for HIT Entertainment and Hot Animation for CBBC in 1991. It followed the adventures of a cheerful general contractor, his friends and neighbors and a group of anthropomorphized work vehicles (Scoop, Muck, Dizzy, Roley, Lofty and others). The show originally was made in stop-motion from 1999 to 2009, but it later shifted to CG animation, beginning with the spin-off show Ready, Steady, Build! (2010-2011). The franchise was sold to Mattel in 2011 for $680 million. The globally syndicated show ran for 12 season (1999-2011) and introduced young viewers to the catchphrase “Can we fix it? Yes, we can!”
The worldwide syndicated show ran successfully for 12 seasons (1999-2011) and is known for Bob’s cheerful catchphrase: “Can we fix it? Yes, we can!” In the U.S., the show ran on Nick Jr. and PBS Kids.
Among the other Mattel Films in development are American Girl, Barney, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master, and Wishbone. Mattel Films is also working on new family drama titled Christmas Balloon.
Revisit the show’s famous opening song below:
