‘Dora and the Lost City’ marks the leap to the big screen (and in live action) of the universe of the popular Nickelodeon series. But it is not the only example of children’s characters leading movies that have previously succeeded on television. Below we investigate the origins of other characters that come from children’s television content and that have been made into movies, observing the change they have undergone in the process. ‘Dora and the Lost City’ hits theaters this Friday, August 30.
Origin : The Nickelodeon series (broadcast in Spain by Clan) was born in the year 2000 and has eight seasons, which means nearly 200 episodes. The educational series follows Dora and her faithful companion, Boots, as they embark on treasure quests and ask the audience for help.
Film adaptation : ‘Dora and the lost city’ is the first film adaptation of the series. Directed by James Bobin (‘The Muppets Tour’, ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’), the live action film stars the actress Isabela Moner and in it a teenage Dora will have to lead an expedition with her best friend , Boots the monkey, his cousin Diego (Jeffrey Wahlberg), a mysterious inhabitant of the jungle (Eugenio Derbez) and a group of teenagers, to save their parents (Eva Longoria and Michael Peña) and thus solve the mystery that lies behind the lost golden city.
Origin : Actually, the character has its origin in Akira Toriyama’s manga, published since the mid-80s. But the first television version arrived practically at the same time, and since then Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai, to Dragon Ball Super.
Film adaptation : The Dragon Ball universe has more than a dozen feature films, and the last to reach theaters has the script by its original creator, Akira Toriyama. In it, the Earth enjoys in peace the celebration of the Tournament of Power. But Goku continues to train and prepare, because he knows that there are more super warriors out there that he will have to face.
Origin : These aliens from the planet Luna Lunera were created by the scriptwriters Carmina Roig and Daniel Cerdà and made their appearance in a container format for La 2 in 2003.
Cinematographic adaptation : Before ‘The great adventure of Los Lunnis and the Magic Book’, these transmedia characters jumped into the field of feature films with other titles such as ‘The Lunnis and their friend Don Quixote’ (2005) or ‘The Lunnis on wheels, the film’ (2008), aimed at the domestic market. Directed by Juan Pablo Buscarini (‘Tini: Violetta’s great change’, ‘Pérez, the little mouse of your dreams’), his leap to the big screen is now starring Mar, an 8-year-old girl who is an expert in stories and legends thanks to the books that his grandfather reads to him every night.
Origin : The famous American series set in the Middle Ages dates from 1981 and is based on the original designs of the Belgian cartoonist Peyo who made their appearance in the cartoon “The flute of the six smurfs” in 1958.
Film adaptation : There is a French feature film from the year 1976 in which part of the plot takes place in the country of the Smurfs. However, the best-known adaptation is the one made in 2011 by Raja Gosnell, who launched the sequel in 2013. The last one was ‘The Smurfs: The Hidden Village’, directed by Kelly Asbury, in which the original designs of Peyo.
Origin : This sheep that likes to go its own way is the protagonist of the homonymous series that has been broadcasting since 2007, famous for entertaining children with hardly any dialogue.
Film adaptation : In 2004 the animated feature film ‘Bob Sponge: The Movie’ was released. And recently did ‘SpongeBob: A Hero Out of Water’, in which the sea sponge and his friends: Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, Sandy and Plankton come out of their comfortable Bikini Bottom and transform into real superheroes to fight against the evil pirate Barba Burger (Antonio Banderas), who has stolen the secret formula of the krabby patty.
Origin : The original series is a Japanese production from 1979 that continues to be broadcast today.
Cinematographic adaptation The adventures of Nobita and the cosmic cat have been adapted to the format of feature film since two years after the series came to light. The last of the adaptations, ‘Stand by me Dorameon’, was released last December.
Origin : The endearing bear cub was engendered by AA Milne and brought to the screen by the Disney Factory in the 1960s. The first animated series based on the characters was ‘The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’, which began broadcasting in 1988 Later, already in 2001, a second series with the name ‘The Winnie the Pooh book’ saw the light of day.
Film adaptation: The last animated film has been produced by Disney and released in 2011, but last year ‘Christopher Robin’ arrived, a live action adaptation starring in this case by an adult Robin.
Origin : The series ‘The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog’ emerged in the US in 1993. But ‘Sonic X’ appeared in Japan in 2003.
Film adaptation : The first feature film adaptation was the Japanese ‘Sonic the Hedgehog: the movie’, released in 1996. In 2016 ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ will be released, which will mix real image and animation.
Origin : The story is based on Hank Ketcham’s homonymous comic and had its first television version in 1959. In 1986 another series appeared, this time with animated characters.
Film adaptation The famous film version was directed by Nick Castle in 1993 and as a result of its success the sequel came out in 1998 and even a failed third part in 2007.
