Mattel Films is developing its first animated theatrical feature, centering around popular preschool series Bob the Builder.

Jennifer Lopez’s banner Nuyorican Productions (Hustlers) and LA-based animation studio ShadowMachine (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio) will co-produce the pic, which sees Bob travel to Puerto Rico for a construction job. On the ground, he learns about many issues affecting the island region, discovering Caribbean Latin culture and what it really means to build.

Writer Felipe Vargas (Loteria) is on board to pen the film’s script; Anthony Ramos (Hamilton) will pull double-duty as a lead voice actor and a producer; and ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico are also producing, along with Nuyorican’s Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. 

The Bob the Builder brand originated as a stop-motion series (pictured) that aired from 1999 to 2009 on CBBC/CBeebies, spawning successful spin-off series Bob the Builder: Project: Build It (2005-2008) and Ready, Steady, Build! (2010-2011) as well as a same-name reboot from 2015 to 2018. Mattel inherited the IP 13 years ago as part of its US$680-million acquisition of HIT Entertainment—which also owned Thomas & Friends. 

This new movie project joins a growing development slate at Mattel Films, which is also working on a slew of pics adapting brands like Polly Pocket, Barney and Hot Wheels.