American reboot of Thomas the Tank Engine 'lacks the magic of the original series', with modern animation, a new neurodiverse character and US accents, says creator of UK show
- Britt Allcroft, 80, says the American reboot has 'tarnished' the original
- READ MORE: Thomas and Friends introduces first neurodiverse character Bruno the Brake Car who enjoys 'schedules and routine' and will be voiced by a nine-year-old boy with autism
The American reboot of Thomas the Tank Engine has 'lost the magic' of the original series, according to its creator.
Based on a series of books Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher, which were published from 1945, the show was based on the adventures of steam trains.
The original series, adapted by Britt Allcroft, now 80, is partly known for being narrated by Ringo Starr, whose dulcet Liverpudlian tones suited the story well.
It was first broadcast in 1983, when it scored a legion on fans, following the activities of Thomas the protagonist and his train friends, based on the island of Sodor.
But the franchise was bought by Mattel for $680 million, with its version of the production, Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go, premiering some 10 years later in 2021, according to the Times.
The much beloved original character of Thomas the Tank engine in the UK version of the popular programme
The creator of the UK version, which first broadcast in the early 80s, is no fan of the new US version (pictured)
Unfortunately, Allcroft is no fan of the reboot, which she says has 'tarnished' original classic.
He went as far as saying that the new reboot was missing the 'magic' of the much earlier, original reversion.
According to Allcroft: 'There is only one Thomas. Thomas doesn’t want to be reimagined. Sadly, Mattel now has control of Thomas and there is nothing I can do.'
The reboot has seen Mattel make a number of changes, as it says it wants to take an 'entirely new approach' to the popular show.
In addition to changing the animation style, there are new characters.
One is kana, a female high-speed locomotive, while another is Bruno the Brake Car, who is autistic.
Some have praised the addition of a neurodiverse character.
Bruno the Brake Car will be voiced by Elliot Garcia, nine, from Reading, Berkshire, who is also neurodiverse.
The US version (pictured) is much more slick, with cleaner, more modern animation, which is likely to be more familiar to many modern viewers
Detail-oriented Bruno enjoys schedules, routine, and knows where all the tracks lead. Bruno has stairs and a lantern on his bright, red exterior that indicate his emotional state, moving when he is excited or cautious.
Elliot said: 'Bruno is a Brake Car, and he is a new friend for Thomas and his friends, and he's also autistic, like me. He is funny, smart, and he's a very relaxed character.
'He can get really overwhelmed, he can get worried, and he uses comedy to get past situations. Bruno loves schedules and timetables and when everything goes to plan.
'He can flap his ladders to tell you if he's upset or if he's really excited, so he can use his items to show you how he's feeling.
'His ear defenders, I do relate to, because if there's a really loud noise, I can't cope. I can get quite worried about things, I have to think of new strategies, same as Bruno.
'When I won the role of Bruno, I imagined that it was a dream, but it wasn't! I felt really excited and happy.'
According to Allcroft, the reboot is neither Thomas created in the series of books by Awdry, or it is faithful to the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends original television series she helmed.
This Spring, a new series will be broadcast on Channel 5.
The older version was controlled by radios and figurines and the characters all had UK accents - unlike the new version (old version pictured)
Those used to the moving models controlled by radios and figurines may be surprised to see the new animated style - as well as the US accents.
The Times pointed out that the original series has once 'been the unlikely subject of controversy'.
This is back in 2014, when a comment piece in The Guardian criticised the programme.
It described the isle of Sodor as 'colonial, adding that the Fat Controller acted as a 'Monopoly dictator' over the engines.
The author of the piece, Tracy Van Slyke, said: 'The constant bent of messages about friendship, work, class, gender and race sends my kid the wrong message'
All Engines Go is available to watch on Paramount+ and has been shown in the UK on Channel 5.
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