Paramount Pictures has been securing some very unusual movie rights lately. Earlier this month they got the rights from Sega to produce a feature film on the famous video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, one live blending action with CGI. Now the word is out that Paramount has gotten another set of rights, this time from children’s cable network Nickelodeon – its fellow subsidiary under Viacom Media Networks – to make a movie based on one of their most famous franchises. Here it is: “Dora The Explorer” is getting a movie. And you will not believe who is going to produce: Michael Bay.
Michael Bay working on ‘Dora’
After quite a long time in development limbo, from its initial pitch back in 2015, it looks like a “Dora the Explorer” film is all set to roll for Paramount Pictures. Based on the children’s educational show it may be, but the movie looks like it will have major Hollywood cinema wizards working on it. First mentioned is writer-director Nicholas Stoller, who wrote and produced “The Muppets” (2011) and “Neighbors” (2014) is being brought in to do the script. But the big news is that Michael Bay, director of franchises such as “Bad Boys” and “Transformers,” is slated to produce.
Bay, known popularly to moviegoers for his dynamic and explosion-filled movie-work, will be bringing in his production company Platinum Dunes on the project as part of a first-look deal with Paramount, alongside his partners Andrew Form and Brad Fuller.
This arrangement with the Hollywood studio saw the creation of the live-action “Transformers” and the more recent “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” films, with Bay directing or producing. While Stoller’s credits are mostly mature works, he has also dabbled in younger fare such as the “Captain Underpants” movie. Furthermore, production of “Dora” will be handled by the new studio division, Paramount Players.
Audience-relevant age-up
“Dora the Explorer” was one of the major animated hit series from Nickelodeon, premiering in 2000 and running for 172 episodes. Its protagonist is the Indigenous Mexican-descent Dora, a spirited girl of seven who goes on exploration trips with her money friend boots, teaching simple puzzle solving for young audiences.
The Paramount Pictures film, however, will see Dora being aged up into a teenager, and according to initial plot info, will start the plot living in the city.
Other than having Nick Stoller and Michael Bay on staff, there is no other concrete information yet to be had on Paramount’s “Dora” movie. While no release date has been finalized, the studio is keen on seeing it arrive in cinemas in the year 2019.
