The highly regarded animated series The Amazing World of Gumball is receiving a feature length film along with a brand new series. These are the first two projects that have been greenlit out of Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
Warner Brothers Kids and Family announced that a new original animated feature with the working title The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie! along with a new series is coming soon to HBO Max and Cartoon Network. The Watterson family and the residents of Elmore return in a story about the biggest fan of Gumball coming across a missing episode of the series and accidentally opens a portal connecting his world to Gumball’s.
The press release says that "Upon meeting his heroes, our super fan decides to team up with Gumball, Darwin, Anais, Richard and Nicole to save them from a nefarious force overtaking Elmore, while inadvertently unleashing a threat of their very own." The film is described as being both comedic and emotional as well as a fitting conclusion for the original series and its fans, all while establishing a new start for the upcoming series. The show's original creator Ben Bocquelet is returning as director and as an executive producer on the film. The film's script will be written by Shane Mack.
The co-heads of Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe Sam Register and Vanessa Brookman said: “We could not think of a better show to kick off our first batch of project greenlights under the Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe banner. With this movie and new series, we have an ‘amazing’ opportunity with Ben to provide a satisfying conclusion that Gumball fans have been hoping for while also establishing the next chapter of this charming, colorful and inventive series.”
The original run of The Amazing World of Gumball started in 2011 and ran until June of 2019, lasting six seasons on Cartoon Network. The show gained a rabid following from both young and old alike thanks to its unique animation and visual style, meta comedy, and writing. Along with garnering a worldwide fanbase, it was also beloved by critics, being praised for how imaginative the show is in every facite. It also won numerous awards, including an International Emmy Kids Awards for "Kids – Animation" as well as nine BAFTA Children’s Awards, six British Animation Awards, and three Annie Awards.
While neither the movie nor series has a release date, they will both be coming to Cartoon Network and HBO Max.