The beloved children’s character is returning in a Bob the Builder movie, and there are already many exciting updates about the upcoming animated feature. Debuting in 1999 in the UK, Bob the Builder follows the titular construction worker as he teams up with his anthropomorphized equipment to teach youngsters crucial problem-solving skills. With the familiar catchphrase “Can we fix it? Yes we can!“, Bob and friends didn’t take long to make their way across the pond, becoming one of the most famous children’s programs of the new millennium.
Across its lengthy original run, and continued in a slew of spinoffs, TV movies, and reboots, the popularity of Bob the Builder hasn’t waned, and it is still a viable franchise. Though the 2015 CGI reboot was met with some criticism for its stark departure from the original, it still managed to run for three seasons before eventually ending. The property was sold to toy giant Mattel in 2011, and in the wake of the Barbie movie’s smashing success, Bob the Builder is the latest in a long line of Mattel products that are making their way to the big screen.
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The Bob The Builder Movie Latest News
Amazon Lands The Mattel Adaptation
Unsurprisingly, the box-office success of 2023’s Barbie has made toy movies (particularly Mattel toys) a hot commodity, and the latest news confirms that Amazon MGM Studios has scored Bob the Builder (via Deadline). Coming nearly a year after the animated movie was first unveiled, it has now been announced that Amazon has won the bidding war for the Jennifer Lopez-produced reimagining of the beloved children’s character. Though all the financial details aren’t known, major players like Netflix and Dreamworks were also bidding for the movie.
Many other details remain elusive at this time, and a timeline of production hasn’t been announced yet. Also unknown is whether Bob the Builder will be a theatrical release or if it will be an Amazon Prime Video exclusive. Considering the humongous box-office potential, it stands to reason that Amazon MGM will be aiming to release the movie in theaters in order to reap the financial rewards of such a lucrative Mattel property.
Mattel’s
Barbie
adaptation grossed $1.4 billion worldwide (via
Box Office Mojo
)
The Bob The Builder Movie Is Confirmed
Jennifer Lopez Is Producing The New Movie
Ideally, the new version will focus on the same problem-solving and socialization skills that made the series so important for younger viewers
Announced with little buildup, it was officially confirmed in January 2024 that a Bob the Builder movie was in the works with several big names already attached. The sudden reveal of the film also mentioned that music and movie superstar Jennifer Lopez was serving as a producer on the project, though it is unclear if she will provide a voice. Additionally, Hamilton star Anthony Ramos has already been cast to play a Latinx re-imagining of Bob.
The original
Bob The Builder
ran from 1999 to 2003.
Screenwriter Felipe Vargas has been tapped to write the newest iteration of Bob the Builder, which will see a new version of the character working on a Puerto Rico construction site. Ideally, the new version will focus on the same problem-solving and socialization skills that made the series so important for younger viewers, though it isn’t certain yet what the actual plot will be. Amazon MGM Studios won the bidding war for the movie in November 2024, but a production timeline remains elusive.
The Bob the Builder TV franchise includes:
|
Series |
Release Years |
Number of Episodes |
|---|---|---|
|
Bob the Builder |
1999-2011 |
250 & 10 specials |
|
Bob the Builder |
2015-2018 |
130 & 1 special |
The Bob The Builder Movie Cast
Anthony Ramos Stars As Bob
The cast for the Bob the Builder movie is rather thin, and the only name attached is Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) who will star in the film as Bob. Ramos’ version is a Latinx reimagining of the character, who is tentatively being referred to as Roberto in the early press about the new movie. Though Jennifer Lopez is attached as a producer on the project, no word has come regarding whether she will step in and voice a role as well. With the film being a reimagining, it is unclear if any of the other familiar characters from the series will appear.
The Bob The Builder Movie Story
Bob Heads To Puerto Rico In The New Reimagining
Details about the plot of the movie are practically nonexistent at this juncture, and the only thing known about screenwriter Felipe Vargas’ story is that it will take place in Puerto Rico. Since Bob the Builder is an early childhood series that focuses on key developmental skills, it isn’t exactly clear how a big-budget motion picture will be able to integrate those ideas.
Because the movie is a large project, Bob’s story will need to be much bigger than his usual problem-of-the-week format that made the series so successful. If the adaptation is vying for nostalgia instead of learning, it could take Bob on a thrilling adventure and up the ante. The most likely outcome for the Bob the Builder movie is that the character will strike a balance between both, much like PAW Patrol: The Movie.
Bob the Builder is an upcoming animated film based on the children’s television series. Set up as a contemporary reimagining, Bob the Builder will follow Roberto (Bob) as he heads to Puerto Rico for construction work and learns about new cultures while improving his building skills.
- Studio(s)
- Mattel Films , ShadowMachine , Nuyorican Productions
- Distributor(s)
- Mattel Films
- Writers
- Felipe Vargas
