Live-Action ‘Dora the Explorer’ to Film in Australia

It looks like the live-action Dora The Explorer will soon be headed down under.

The upcoming Paramount picture will reportedly be filming in Queensland, Australia, according to Deadline. Production is expected to begin in late spring or early summer of this year, at Gold Coast’s Sound Stage 9 at Village Roadshow Studios.

Dora the Explorer will be a live-action update of the iconic Nickelodeon cartoon, which will follow a teenage Dora traveling the world with her cousin Diego. The project was first announced in October of last year, sparking some intrigue and pretty creative fan art online.

The move to Australia was reportedly somewhat of a challenge, after Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison rejected a tax break concession request from Paramount. The deal ultimately went through after Queensland agreed to top up the tax break that the film would receive. According to one local report, the revised deal ultimately cost around $8 million. Queensland has been home to several recent noteworthy productions, including Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Aquaman.

“We could not be more thrilled to be bringing Dora to Queensland and to be able to deliver Queensland for our film,” said Lee Rosenthal, President of Physical Production for Paramount Pictures. “In Queensland, we are able to get outstanding crew, stages and a variety of jungle topography and city backdrops in essentially one place.”

“Over the past three years my government has committed $30 million attracting movie makers to Queensland through our Production Attraction Fund, gaining more than $350 million of direct expenditure in our State,” said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. “We will keep on pushing for screen jobs for our local crews and creatives and for productions that inject hundreds of millions of dollars into our economy and take our creative talent and our stunning Queensland locations, to screens around the world.”

The film will be directed by Alice Through The Looking Glass‘ James Bobin, with a script from Neighbors writer-director Nicholas Stoller. Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes production company, and his partners Andrew Form and Brad Fuller, will be producing. The film’s cast has not been set.

Dora The Explorer is expected to be released on August 2nd, 2019. ComicBook.com will provide any updates as they come about.