ABC TV’s ‘Bluey’ scores global deal with Disney and the toys are on the way

Brisbane’s very own Bluey is about to go global after scoring an international deal with the biggest name in animation, but local fans of the show will have some good news of their own, and it comes just in time for Christmas.

ABC TV show ‘Bluey’ has been praised for its down-to-earth representation of modern families.

CARTOON cattle dog Bluey has new housemates – a mouse and a moose.

The Brisbane-made series, Bluey, which has been a runaway success on the ABC, will be screened internationally from late this year after a deal was struck with distribution giant Disney.

Bluey creator Brisbane animator Joe Brumm.

A range of Bluey toys will also hit the shops in time for Christmas with Australian company Moose Toys named yesterday as the global master toy partner.

Disney and BBC Studios announced yesterday that the first two series of Bluey (the second of which was co-commissioned only last month by the ABC and BBC) will premiere internationally on Disney Junior from late 2019 and the upcoming streaming service Disney+ in territories outside Australia.

Already the cartoon is the most watched series ever on ABC iview with more than 90 million plays.

Created by Brisbane animator Joe Brumm and produced by Fortitude Valley-based Ludo Studios, the 52-episode series revolves around a family of blue and red heeler cattle dogs, including Bluey, 6, Bingo, 4, mum Chilli and dad Bandit.

It has been praised for its down-to-earth representation of modern families. That sentiment was echoed by Disney Channels Worldwide’s Jane Gould in making the announcement.

“The power of family is a cornerstone of Disney storytelling, and the warmth and authenticity of Bluey’s family dynamic is what first captured our interest in the show,” said the senior vice president.

“Bluey reminds us all of our own families, and it plays out the small but emotionally epic dramas of day-to-day life in surprising, heartfelt and very funny ways.”

Ludo Studio’s executive producer Charlie Aspinwall said the deal was “everything we hoped for Bluey and way more”.

“Dreams do come true,” he said.

Already Bluey is the most watched series ever on ABC iview with more than 90 million plays.

The show is created, written, animated and post produced in Brisbane with funding from Screen Australia and the Queensland Government’s Screen Queensland.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the second series would create 40 jobs and inject more than $5 million into the local economy.

The first range of Bluey toys will launch in Australian stores late this year and will be available in the US and other regions in 2020.