With the success of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it seems like Mattel-owned properties are continuing to be a hot commodity in Hollywood. Next up is Bob the Builder with… Jennifer Lopez attached.
The multi-hyphenate entertainer has signed on to produce a new animated film featuring the pre-school character Bob the Builder, according to Variety. It will be written by Felipe Vargas (Rosario).
The film will follow the title character, Bob, played by Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), as he travels to Puerto Rico for a big construction project. While there, Bob will take on “issues affecting the island and dig deeper into what it means to build.” The logline for the film also reads that “Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colorful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people.”
Ramos describes the new movie following Bob the Builder, which started as an animated TV series in 1999, as “a movie about friends working together, a celebration of a beautiful home they share, and how love can help to conquer any obstacle in your way.”
“The show’s ability to promote positive thinking, problem-solving and empowerment with a completely original story set in Puerto Rico puts a new spin on a beloved brand,” said Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, who will produce for Lopez’s company Nuyorican Productions. “We can’t wait for new and existing fans to connect with these amazing characters.”
Social media users had mixed reactions to Lopez producing a Bob the Builder feature film.
Some wondered why Lopez was behind a Bob the Builder movie and not a movie featuring the popular Latine fix-it character, Handy Manny.
Others were already looking forward to a Bob the Builder-Handy Manny crossover.
Some people joked that white people were not going to be happy that they were making Bob Latine and sending him to Puerto Rico.
Others joked that doing construction work on the island was going to be a big challenge.
Along with Bob the Builder, other Mattel films are in development, including American Girl, Polly Pocket, and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.
