10/10/2002 - The cult television series is to become a high-budget computer-animated feature produced by Pathé Pictures with an international cast of famous singers and actors providing the voice talent

Children’s cult TV series, The Magic Roundabout is to become a computer animated feature film voiced by Robin Williams as Dougal, Kylie Minogue as Florence, Jim Broadbent as Brian, Joanna Lumley as Ermintrude the pink cow and Richard O’Brien (the creator of the Rocky Horror Show) as Zebedee, famous for the “Time for bed” catchphrase.
Budgeted at £12.8 million (Euros 19million), The Magic Roundabout will be produced by Laurent Rodon and Andy Leighton for Pathé Pictures, the UK production arm of France’s Pathé Group with Pathé Distribution likely to release the film in the UK in 2004.
The original TV series was created by France’s Serge Danot in 1965 and the film will be directed by Dave Borthwick from the Bolexbrothers animation studio in Bristol.
Pathé Pictures were behind Chicken Run, the best performing British animation that took a £30 million (Euros45 million) gross at the UK box office when it was released in 2000.
Pathé International will begin selling The Magic Roundabout at the next edition of MIFED.