Bluey has been a central part of my family life ever since it arrived on Disney+, providing a rare moment of calm amid today's increasingly action-packed children's shows. The messaging is gentle, the relationships are meaningful, and the animation is simple yet vibrant – without a whisper of the fast cuts and high tension that send (my) kids into an agitated trance (I'm looking at you, Paw Patrol).
So when Bluey: The Movie was announced at D23 over the weekend, I wasn't the only one disappointed by the revised animation style. The gorgeous original 2D animation has been replaced by CGI, and I just don't understand why.
Turning a beloved show from 2D to 3D alters not just the feel of the animation, but the look of the characters themselves; Bluey and Bingo don't quite look like themselves in the trailer. It also shifts the feel of the world they live in, so delightfully simple and in which dimensions are frequently played to highlight the perspective of the children (the endless corridors and ever-changing house size, for example).
I fail to see what's gained by a shift that has blighted so many of our favourite '90s shows, from Thomas the Tank Engine to Rugrats. From an artistic point of view, it feels as though the beauty of 2D animation has been forgotten in favour of 3D wherever possible, stripping away one of the last bastions of visual simplicity I was so eager to see on the big screen.
Other voices across the internet agree, mostly from disappointed parents – you can read the comments in the above Instagram post, but this one sums it up: "Reasons for Bluey's success: Soft colors / slow-paced scenes / low stimulation / not 3D. The movie trailer: Vibrant colors / fast-paced scenes / high stimulation / 3D."
More specifically is disappointment expressed by accounts focused on neurodivergence, which rightly point out that Bluey's original style is one of the few that won't overstimulate children with sensory differences.
I recently discussed how much I loved seeing Lady and The Tramp at the cinema for its anniversary release. My children were captivated by the slow pace and vibrant art, so I really hope Bluey retains some of its original feel even with the CGI alterations.
What do you think of the teased style for Bluey? Would you like to see more 2D animation on the big screen? Let us know in the comments.
