A live-action feature film based on the iconic 1980s animatronic toy, Teddy Ruxpin, is officially in development at Amazon MGM Studios. The project is a collaboration between two powerhouse production companies, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions partnering with Dmitri M. Johnson and Michael Lawrence Goldberg’s Story Kitchen to produce the film.
The news, which was first reported by Variety, confirms that the beloved character will be brought to the big screen for a new generation. The script for the film is set to be written by Chris Hazzard and Mike Fontana.
According to the report, Amazon secured the rights to the project following a competitive bidding war with multiple other studios. While specific plot details are being kept under wraps, the pitch for the film’s tone has been described as a blend of “‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ meets ‘Elf’,” suggesting a family-friendly adventure that will likely use a mix of live-action and CGI to bring the talking bear-like creature to life.
Teddy Ruxpin was first released in 1985 and became a global cultural phenomenon as the world’s first animated talking toy, selling over eight million units. The toy’s success spawned a massive franchise that included books, games, and the popular animated television series, “The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin.” The new film marks another collaboration between Seven Bucks Productions and Story Kitchen, who are also partnered on a film adaptation of the video game “It Takes Two,” which is also in development at Amazon MGM Studios.