After Dora and the Lost City of Gold, director James Bobin hopes to be part of future installments. During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, the British filmmaker discussed the franchise’s potential moving forward. 

Starring Isabela Moner as Dora the Explorer, Bobin’s latest feature is based on Nickelodeon’s popular animated television series. In spirit, the big screen adventure adaption is a continuation of the Dora storyline, as the main character’s life shifts from the jungle to a California high school and back to the jungle. For the premise, Dora learns that her parents Cole (Michael Peña) and Elena (Eva Longoria) plan to research a lost Inca civilization, but without her. The young girl reunites with her cousin Diego (Jeff Wahlberg) and attempts to assimilate into her new California lifestyle, but ultimately winds up back in the jungle in search of her parents, and much more.

During a Screen Rant exclusive interview, Bobin noted that he’s not quite sure about Dora and the Lost City of Gold’s identity in relation to the original series. The Nickelodeon franchise, Dora the Explorer, aired for eight seasons over the last 20 years, with the series finale scheduled for the same date as Dora and the Lost City of Gold’s theatrical release date on August 9. According to Bobin:

Bobin also revealed that he’s hoping for many more Dora the Explorer live-action films, primarily because of Moner’s potential as an actress, and also because of his love for the adventure genre. Produced for $49 million, Dora and the Lost City of Gold doesn’t necessarily have a huge budget a la the typical blockbuster, and the franchise could theoretically become the Indiana Jones for a new generation. The 18-year-old Moner has already appeared in big Hollywood films like Transformers: The Last Knight, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and even Instant Family, so Bobin feels confident about her long-time viability as the franchise lead:

“I think it’s… is it a sequel? I don’t really know. I think they can coexist side-by-side.”

In the past, Bobin co-created the now-infamous characters Ali G, Borat, and Brüno with English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. He also co-created the critically acclaimed HBO series Flight of the Conchords. Prior to Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Bobin directed The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted, and Alice Through the Looking Glass.

“I would like to think this is the start of many of these kinds of movies. Because I think Isabela’s incredible as Dora, and so I see no reason why you couldn’t do a series of these kinds of movies. Because it’s really fun. I love adventure movies, and I think these days would be nice to keep doing adventure movies. It’s that thing about magic in the real world."

If Paramount hopes that Dora and the Lost City of Gold will set the tone for a family-friendly live-action franchise, they have the right team in place with Bobin and Moner, along with screenwriters Nicholas Stoller and Matthew Robinson. Based on early reviews, Dora and the Lost City of Gold establishes the appropriate groundwork for future installments. 

More: Dora and the Lost City of Gold Review: Adorably Delightful Family Fun

  • Dora The Explorer Release Date: 2019-08-09