New Doctor Dolittle Reboot Movie Begins Filming 6 Years After Robert Downey Jr.’s Flop

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Six years after Robert Downey Jr.’s 2020 flop, a new Doctor Dolittle film has been announced.

Sycamore Studios has begun production on a fresh animated Doctor Dolittle movie, titled King of the Wild, which will restart the film series, according to Variety.

Okay, so this time around, it’s really bad for Doctor Dolittle. His reputation is totally on the line because his latest trip accidentally leads poachers to this amazing, almost mythical creature. Naturally, he has to do something about it! He jumps into a rescue mission, and thankfully, he’s got three of his best animal buddies from the zoo helping him out. It’s a pretty wild situation, honestly.

As a huge animation fan, I’m really excited to hear that Timothy Reckart – one of the founders of Sycamore Studios and their Chief Creative Officer – is directing this new project, in partnership with Reel FX. I remember loving his work on the Oscar-nominated short Head Over Heels, and he also directed the animated film The Star, so I have a good feeling about this one!

Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen, the writers behind PAW Patrol, are working on the script. Christian McGuigan, Cooper Waterman, and Saxton Washburn are producing the project.

I’m so excited to hear they’re bringing Doctor Dolittle back! Apparently, the studio head, Reckart, feels the same way – he said Doctor Dolittle’s gift for talking to animals has always made him a beloved character, kind of like a bridge between people and the animal kingdom. He also thinks this new movie, King of the Wild, will remind us all how much of the world is still out there waiting to be discovered, which sounds amazing!

Doctor Dolittle has always been a beloved character, famous for his ability to talk to animals and bridge the gap between humans and the animal kingdom. We’re thrilled to share his adventures with a new generation, taking families on a fun, exciting, and heartwarming journey that celebrates the wonders of discovery still waiting to be found in the world.

Waterman announced that the upcoming animated reboot of Doctor Dolittle will be a completely new and visually impressive take on the classic story. He promised a show full of creativity, laughs, and genuine emotion, while still respecting the original’s history and appealing to modern audiences around the world.

Doctor Dolittle is a beloved character for families, and we’re excited to bring a new, updated movie to audiences. We want to stay true to the original stories while also creating a visually stunning and emotionally engaging film for today’s viewers around the world. We’re thrilled to be working with Reel FX to make that happen.

This popular series of movies and books started with Hugh Lofting’s novel, The Story of Doctor Dolittle, published in 1920. The book follows a doctor who has the amazing ability to talk to animals. Lofting continued the story with more than a dozen sequels over the next three decades, and some of those books were published after he passed away in 1947.

The first movie adaptation of Doctor Dolittle came out in 1967, starring Rex Harrison as the famous doctor. It was a hit with the Academy Awards, receiving nine nominations – including one for Best Picture – and winning two awards for Best Song and Best Special Visual Effects.

After a 31-year break, 20th Century Fox brought back Doctor Dolittle in 1998, starring comedian Eddie Murphy in the lead role. The film also featured Oliver Platt, Peter Boyle, Richard Schiff, Jeffrey Tambor, Kyla Pratt, and Raven-Symoné.

Although critics didn’t love the remake – it received a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (better than the original 1967 film’s 29%) – it was a financial success, earning $294 million. This led to several follow-up movies, including Dr. Dolittle 2, Dr. Dolittle 3, Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief, and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts.

Pratt took over as the lead of the film series starting with Dr. Dolittle 3.

In early 2020, Universal Pictures tried to revive the Doctor Dolittle franchise with a new film starring Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, and Jessie Buckley.

Despite being a big-budget film, Dolittle didn’t perform well at the box office, earning only $251 million and receiving very negative reviews – it had a mere 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest of any film in the series. The movie’s poor reception was cemented when it won a Razzie Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel.

After six years, Sycamore is developing its own take on Doctor Dolittle, though it hasn’t announced when the movie will be released. The company is hoping Doctor Dolittle: King of the Wild will help them create graphic novels, video games, and partnerships with zoos and theme parks.

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2026-05-13 01:33