The new animation style for the upcoming Bluey movie has caused controversy among fans. Bluey began as a children's television series from the ABC (Australia) and BBC Studios, and its popularity quickly made it the top-ranking kids' TV show on Disney+. The story follows the Blue Heeler puppy, Bluey, and her family on their everyday adventures and has captured audiences of adults and children alike.
In 2024, BBC Studios, in collaboration with Disney, confirmed a Bluey movie was in the works, and in 2027, the fruits of that labor will finally be seen on screen. The Bluey Movie had its first teaser trailer screened at Disney's D23 Expo in August, featuring a short sequence of Bluey and Bingo playing a game of "keepy uppy" as the pair batted the balloon into the air to keep it from touching the ground.
This teaser also revealed The Bluey Movie's animation style, which makes a dramatic shift from the original series. Rather than the 2D animation style used across the three seasons of the TV show, The Bluey Movie opts for 3D animation instead.
While BBC Studios and Ludo Studio have carried over from the original series to produce the movie, The Bluey Movie does have a new studio on board to provide CG animation for the film: Cosmic Dino. Cosmic Dino's past projects, including Scarygirl and The Pout-Pout Fish, have all used 3D animation, so the shift here aligns with the team's skills.
The move from Bluey's classic 2D style to 3D animation for the movie is a huge change for audiences attached to the original style, and it's caused a lot of division among fans.
Bluey's 2D animation has long been praised for its crisp, vibrant style that feels timeless and beautiful. It's an aesthetic that audiences have come to love over Bluey's 150+ episodes, so to see it shift without warning has come as a surprise to many.
Comments on the trailer for The Bluey Movie on YouTube were disabled after the film received an overwhelming response, with many criticizing its new 3D visual style.
One user on X said the decision to swap animation styles was "inexplicably dumb," adding that it's "ruined something that's perfect as it was."
"This is going down as one of the most inexplicably dumb creative decisions in animation history. Bluey’s animation is timeless and gorgeous. You’ve ruined something that’s perfect as it was.
Some were more middling on the change, with another fan saying, "I wish they kept the art style of the show for the movie, but this looks fine." There were also some who were very much in favor of the animation switch. One user commented, "In 3D? And it actually looks good? Highest grossing movie of 2027, I’m calling it now."
The Bluey Movie is still almost a year away, with its release set for August 6, 2027. The film is written and directed by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, with voice stars Melanie Zanetti (Chilli Heeler) and David McCormack (Bandit Heeler), reprising their roles.
Will Bluey's Controversial Animation Style Derail the Movie?
While many fans hope the outcry will cause The Bluey Movie team to reconsider their choice of animation style, the film has been in development for years, so a complete overhaul at this stage of production is unlikely. However, the team still has almost a year to make adjustments to the animation that could win over fans.
Nevertheless, The Bluey Movie's primary audience is children, and most of these viewers will simply be happy to see their favorite characters on the big screen, caring less about the style or visual changes.
Another thing that should alleviate fans' concerns is the fact that all the original parties, including Ludo Studio and Joe Brumm, are working on The Bluey Movie. This means the utmost care is being taken in crafting The Bluey Movie, and that it should retain the original show's spirit, themes, and charm. The Bluey series has been praised for many reasons, but one of the more prominent was the heartfelt, well-meaning stories in each episode, which managed to speak to family members of all ages.
With the same talent on board, The Bluey Movie is poised to strike that balance again, this time on the cinema screen, which could help it become just as big in theaters as it is on streaming, despite some of its divisive animation changes.
