BBC Studios and Disney+ sets first Bluey movie for 2027 with creator Joe Brumm

by Thinus Ferreira

The year's most-watched show on Disney+ is becoming a film in 2027, with the animated kids series Bluey coming to the big screen in 2025 with its first theatrical release.

Disney and BBC Studios announced that 2024's number one series on streaming on Disney+ will become a film in 2027 under the Disney banner.

Following the global theatrical release, the Bluey movie will stream on Disney+.

The Bluey film, written and directed by Bluey creator Joe Brumm is a Ludo Studio production done with BBC Studios, and will bring the adventures of Bluey - a loveable, inexhaustible, blue heeler dog, who lives with her mum, dad and her little sister, Bingo - for the first time to cinemas.

The Bluey film will use the same vocal talent from the Australian series, including Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack as Bluey's mum and dad, Chilli and Bandit Heeler, as well as music created by Bluey composer Joff Bush.

Joe Brumm, says "I really enjoyed the experience of working with a longer format on the episode The Sign in season 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."

In a statement, announcing the film, Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment, said "Since its debut on Disney Junior (DStv 309) 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."

In the statement, Tom Fussell, BBC Studios CEO, 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".

"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."

BBC dubs CBeebies kids content into isiZulu, Sesotho, Tsonga and Afrikaans for September.

by Thinus Ferreira

BBC Studios Africa is dubbing some of its kids' content on CBeebies (DStv 306) into several South African languages besides English for September, including isiZulu, Sesotho, Tsonga and Afrikaans.

CBeebies will air several popular shows in isiZulu, Sesotho, Tsonga and Afrikaans between 2 and 29 September, daily between 19:00 and 21:00.

The shows being dubbed for kids to watch in their home languages include Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans), The Elves and the Shoemaker (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans), The Enormous Radish (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans), The Fox and the Hen (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans), The Magic Porridge Pot (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans) and The Ugly Duckling (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans).

Also getting dubbed are Three Little Pigs (Isizulu, Sesotho, Tsonga, Afrikaans) as well as an episode of the hugely popular Bluey having its second season's 26th episode dubbed into isiZulu.

BBC Africa will also make the dubbed episodes available on its BBC Studios Africa YouTube channel.

BBC Africa getting into dubbing of kids' content follows what Paramount Africa started doing with shows like Spongebob Squarepants also being seen and heard on its kids channels like Nickelodeon in isiZulu and Afrikaans.

The BBC's CBeebies is a pre-school channel on DStv, providing children aged six years and under a range of programming that encourages learning through play.

Pierre Cloete, BBC Studios Africa commercial director, says "To mark heritage month and celebrate the diversity of our nation, we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our African languages with the help of our pre-school channel, CBeebies".

"As CBeebies is for little learners, translating a selection of the Sleepy Time Stories into 4 languages will allow our little viewers and parents to learn or develop their language skills while enjoying the shows throughout September."

The Walt Disney Company Africa Media Networks shares some early-2021 programming highlights across Disney Channel, Disney Junior, FOX, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD and ESPN.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Walt Disney Company Africa Media Networks wasn't able to do a physical 2021 new year highlights showcase this year because of the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic but still issued programming highlights across its TV channels in the form of a press drop to journalists.

Here are some of them:

Disney Junior (DStv 309)

I literally just discovered Bluey at the end of last year as a new TV show about a month before The Walt Disney Company Africa Media Networks alerted me to it.

It's interesting as a children's show because you can watch it as an adult or as a parent and you will actually be quite entertained by it as well because it works on another level than just entertaining and educating a child.

It's actually quite insightful and revealing because a character like the dad would, for instance, be asked to come and play and he would say something like he doesn't want to, he's tired. You usually don't find that in children's shows.

Bluey is described as "a funny and honest look at modern family life". The Australian blue heeler puppy Bluey has a boundless imagination and loves to turn daily life into playful adventures. 

Bluey and little sister Bingo throw themselves into exploring their world, using gameplay to conquer their fears and to try out adult roles.

The second season of Bluey starts on 22 February.

Disney Channel (DStv 303)

The Disney Original Movie, Upside Down Magic, premiered on the channel in late-January and can still be seen in which the 13-year old Nory discovers that she can "flux" into animals and that her best friend Reina can manipulate flames.

Together they enter the Sage Academy for Magical Studies where Reina's expert ability to harness the power of fire lands her at the top of her class of "Flares", but Nory's wonky magic and proclivity for turning into a 'Dritten" (half-kitten, half-dragon) lands her in a class for those with Upside-Down Magic.

The second season of the animated series Amphibia has started in February on Disney Channel on weekdays at 15:15.

Amphibia is a frog-out-of-water animated comedy series that chronicles the adventures of 13-year old Anne Boonchuy, who is magically transported to the fantastical world of Amphibia, a rural marshland full of frog-people.

There she meets an excitable young frog named Sprig Plantar, his unpredictable sister Polly and over-protective grandpa Hop Pop. With Sprig's help, Anne will transform into a hero and discover the first true friendship of her life.

FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131)

The first episode of the so-called "extended" 10th season of the long-running zombie drama series The Walking Dead will premiere on the channel on Monday 1 March.

This 10th season that started in 2019 and got delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic that impacted production, got 6 additional episodes added, to take the season episode number to 22. These last 6 episodes are now starting with FOX Africa showing them both as a simulcast with the United States and again during primetime.

The 6 additional episodes of The Walking Dead's 10th season (starting from episode 1017) will air simulcast with America at 03:00 in the mornings, South African time, and again in primetime on Monday nights at 20:45. 

National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220)

The channel has some hard-hitting programming like North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator scheduled for 2 March and 9 March at 21:00. The documentary will give viewers unprecedented access into one of the most secretive countries in the world.

Nat Geo WILD (DStv 182 / StarSat 221)

Snakes in the City filmed in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is back for a 7th season with the snake-catchers Simon and Sioux as they try to catch some of the deadliest snakes in the most bizarre situations and then release them back into the wild.

In 7 seasons this is probably the first time I think there's ever been publicity done for this specific show. Nat Geo says viewers can watch as the snake catchers solve snake problems like deadly forest cobras at wedding venues, enormous pythons guarding their eggs, and even lethal black mambas inside ceilings.

Of course, the 10th Big Cat Month is taking place during February on Nat Geo WILD as well, with all of the programming details that you can find in this article here.

ESPN (DStv 218 / StarSat 248)

There was the 55th Superbowl and ESPN also has NBA basketball coverage.

When it comes to football ESPN also shows the Scottish Premiership with the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).