Bob's Burgers: The Movie - What We Know So Far
Created by Loren Bouchard for Fox, "Bob's Burgers" is a hit animated series that started in 2011 and has 11 seasons so far, with Seasons 12 and 13 greenlit and on the way. Along with that, a feature length film, aptly titled "Bob's Burgers: The Movie," has been in the works since 2017, but it hasn't been easygoing (Deadline). Starring H. Jon Benjamin as the title character, Bob Belcher, the show and movie follow the Belcher family as they run a burger joint on Ocean's Avenue in a seaside town. With a wife and three uniquely troublesome kids, Bob and his family gets involved in a lot of hijinks each episode, and there's a supporting cast of interesting characters who live and work about town, with many attending or working at the children's school, Wagstaff.
"Bob's Burgers" has been nominated for 11 Emmys and won two, and many publications frequently list the series as one of the best animated programs of all time (TV Guide). The series has also had consistent ratings over the years, so it came as no surprise when the movie was announced. Originally scheduled for a 2020 release date, "Bob's Burgers: The Movie" has faced some difficulties on its journey to the screen, including the Disney-Fox merger and delays due to COVID. Despite the obstacles, the film appears to be finished — or almost finished — and practically ready to go, so it's likely only a matter of time until it reaches a screen near you.
Here's what we know so far about "Bob's Burgers: The Movie."
When is Bob's Burgers: The Movie coming out?
Unfortunately for fans of the "Bob's Burgers" franchise who are eagerly awaiting the film's release, the release date is still very much up in the air. In September 2020, Benjamin spoke with Observer about the film's current status, saying that "There's definitely progress. We've started recording the audio as best as we can. Everybody's working from home, but I know they've created animatics for a lot of it." At this point, the movie had a release date of April 9, 2021, announced by Disney early in the year, when they were being relatively optimistic about the schedule of films in 2020 and 2021 (CNBC). In additional comments to Observer, Benjamin stated that "it's on track to be released in the spring, but I don't know if it's going to stay that way. They're working on it aggressively now, as best as they can."
Possibly because of delays due to remote production difficulties or other various reasons, Disney pulled "Bob's Burgers: The Movie" from the release schedule completely in late January 2021 (Deadline). Many speculate that this means Disney is considering skipping a theatrical release altogether and releasing the film on Hulu or Disney Plus, much like they did with "Artemis Fowl." As movie theaters slowly recover from the last year and Disney gets through a few of its major releases, such as "Cruella" and "Black Widow," fans can be hopeful that an update on "Bob's Burgers: The Movie" should come soon.
Who is in the cast of Bob's Burgers: The Movie?
Along with Benjamin, the main cast of "Bob's Burgers: The Movie" is filled out by John Roberts as Linda Belcher, Dan Mintz as the eldest Belcher child, Tina, Eugene Mirman as the son, Gene, and Kristen Schaal as the mischievous youngest daughter, Louise. While no one else has been confirmed to appear in the film, there are a few supporting characters that will most likely show up at some point in the story. Firstly, there's Bob's friend and frequent customer, Teddy, played by Larry Murphy, as well as Mr. Frond, the guidance counselor at Wagstaff School, voiced by David Herman.
As for some other characters who fans would love to see on the big screen, there's classmates Zeke (Bobby Tisdale), and the Pesto siblings, which consist of big brother and Tina's crush, Jimmy Jr. (also voiced by Benjamin), and his twin brothers, Andy (Laura Silverman) and Ollie (Sarah Silverman). Of course, there's also Linda's crazy sister Gayle (Megan Mullally), Mike the mailman (Tim Meadows), and Mort, the local funeral director (Andy Kindler). "Bob's Burgers: The Movie" is an ambitious undertaking as the franchise's first full-length film, so fans should also expect to see a few new characters, possibly with very recognizable voices.
What is Bob's Burgers: The Movie about?
There is very little information out about the plot of "Bob's Burgers: The Movie." In the announcement from all the way back in 2017, show creator Bouchard said that "We know the movie has to scratch every itch the fans of the show have ever had, but it also has to work for all the good people who've never seen the show ... but most of all it has to take our characters on an epic adventure." The film has been described as a musical comedy, and at the 2018 SDCC panel, Bouchard mentioned in regards to the movie that Louise and Kuchi Kopi, her nightlight that she interacts with in an imaginary world, will meet again, hinting at this being at least a subplot of the story (via Hidden Remote).
Over the seasons, "Bob's Burgers" the animated series takes the Belcher family on many strange and unexpected adventures. A lot of the storylines involve Bob's business struggles, Tina's social anxiety and drive for romance, Linda's intense, overly enthusiastic mothering, and whatever weird things go on inside Gene and Louise's heads. After such a long wait, the highly anticipated upcoming film is sure to impress, with plenty of callbacks to series episodes within an all new Belcher family tale. Hopefully "Bob's Burgers" fans can hold on a little longer and everything will be worth the wait.