Bluey's fan site is a very strange place. In normal times, adult aficionados of the hit children's cartoon post photos of key products such as silky Bluey-themed bra and panty sets and plush dog-shaped armchairs, showing how hilarious they are. Start a conversation about which dog character most resembles the other.
But these are not normal times. This week, Disney announced that it would release the first feature film based on the show, featuring the eponymous anthropomorphic pup and a family of Australian healers, to widespread cheer. The excited chatter was quickly tempered with concern when the show's creator, Joe Blum, said: Revealed in a blog post While he would write and direct the film, he would no longer write for the television series.
“Bluey has completely changed my life. I'm so happy to be a part of it, words can't describe it,” he wrote. “Some people might think I'm crazy to walk away from that world when it's so high up, but for now I'm just going back to where it was four to six years ago. I find it difficult to write authentically.
The reaction among some fans of the show, which has delighted legions of kids and their parents since it first aired on Australia's ABC Kids in 2018, was nothing short of dramatic. . Blum insists his decision doesn't mean the end of the TV show, but some fans aren't convinced.
“We know from history that when a show's creators stop working, the show loses its essence and dies,” said the group Adult Bluey Fans, which has 638,000 members. writes the contributor. “So enjoy Bluey while you can.”
Fan pessimism is tempered as Disney, which plans to release Bluey: The Movie worldwide in 2027, pulls a huge wagon into the cultural and commercial behemoth. I hope that. Produced by Brisbane-based Ludo Studio in collaboration with BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. BBC Studios has cited the show as a key driver of the show's recent growth. annual report – Bluey posted ratings that would make the most hardened TV executives cry with joy.
The show, which was crowned the most-watched series for preschoolers and children in the US and Australia this year, is CBeebies' No.1 show in the UK and has been viewed 5.7 billion times on Bluey's official YouTube channel. I'm proud.
But Bluey is no longer just a TV show. Disney announced this week that it will become the first non-Disney-owned children's brand. Disney park highlights. From books and backpacks to child-sized electric cars, a wealth of products are available for purchase almost everywhere in the world. TikTok is I'm obsessed with it. According to some estimates, brand It's worth $2 billion.
“Every step of the way, Bluey has exceeded our expectations,” said Nicky Sheard, CEO, Brand and Licensing, BBC Studios. But she insisted fears that Bluey was being overly commercialized were misplaced. “We want to be a brand that lasts for 100 years,” he said. “[But] The driving force is to maintain editorial credibility and grow Bluey over the long term. ”
So why has a cartoon depicting the daily life of an Australian Cattle Dog family been such a huge hit with children and their parents? The Emmy and BAFTA-winning show has an uncanny ability to push the buttons of multiple generations, says comedian George Lewis. Mentioning Bluey on stand-up shows regularly elicits spontaneous cheers. “I think it's very real, well-observed and often unexpectedly moving,” he said. “When you're sitting with a toddler, you notice things come up. It catches you completely off guard.”
Like many parents who have taken cues from Bluey's loving but imperfect parents, Chili and Bandit, over the years, Bram's decision to leave the show, even though he was looking forward to the movie, I'm worried about the decision. “It's terrifying,” he said. “I'm very attached now, so any changes would be very worrying.”
Fan sites are likely to continue to have heated conversations about the future of the show. Some are trying hard to stay positive (“I have full faith in our team to keep the Bluey magic alive”), while others are urging restraint (“We need to stop irritating each other!”). ”). But others simply appear resigned. “Look, this is a great thing that the world needed at a great time and will be here forever,” one Bluey fan wrote. “It's okay if this ends.”
