‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’ movie brings kid content frenzy to the big screen

A young girl named Gabby, alongside her menagerie of animated cat friends, is making the leap from streaming to the big screen.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” is the latest kid’s TV show to head to the box office, following in the footsteps of Paramount’s Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants franchises.

“We felt like the franchise had gotten to the point where there was enough fandom to justify a theatrical event, and we wanted to expand the world,” Margie Cohn, president of DreamWorks Animation, told CNBC.

Children’s programming has become an increasingly important piece of the media landscape in recent years. As linear TV has given way to streaming, studios are looking for ways to drive and sustain subscriber growth. For “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” establishing a theatrical presence increases awareness of the brand, stirs up fresh excitement from existing fans and spurs new opportunities for products in the retail market.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse,” created by “Blue’s Clues” veterans Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, launched on Netflix in 2021. It’s already run for 11 seasons, and a 12th is on due out in November. Each season has six to 10 episodes, about 25 minutes each.

It’s been the most-viewed streaming original series for kids this year, according to Nielsen.

Each episode begins with a live-action Gabby, played by Laila Lockhart Kraner, as she unboxes a miniature package that sparks an adventure in her magical dollhouse. She dons her cat-ear headband, shrinks down to become an animated character and joins her cat friends, called Gabby’s cats. Like a lot of preschool shows, Gabby pauses to ask the audience questions and invite them to play along.

Those elements all appear in the full-length feature film, which arrived in theaters Friday. It melds animation and live-action, but at a bigger scale.

Cohn said the goal was to create a theatrical experience, akin to a “‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ for little kids.’ Invite them to sing, dance, clap.”

“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” debuts at a time when the movie calendar has limited family-friendly options. The most recent major releases in this genre were Disney’s “Freakier Friday” and Universal’s “The Bad Guys 2,” both of which were released in early August.

While there has been a steady stream of family-friendly fare in recent years, it comes after a considerable dry spell caused by the pandemic and dual Hollywood labor strikes shutting down production. At the same time, consumers’ habits shifted as streaming services grew in popularity and studios shortened the time it took for movies released in cinemas to reach the home market.

But younger viewers are some of the most engaged, and a primary driver to get families out to the theater.

Kids are some of the most fervent streaming users, too, as they tend to watch the same content over and over again, leading to high engagement. That’s why kid-friendly shows have offer a unique value proposition for studios even as traditional linear television and the theatrical landscape has become less reliable.

Presenting their favorite characters in more places can mean spreading the wealth and ultimately fueling their appetites for more.

“One need only look at the big screen-small screen synergies that were created by ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ to see how ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie’ could similarly make the leap from a small screen 2021 series into a big screen cinematic event in 2025,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

A global theatrical release not only serves the strong domestic market, but extends the reach of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” internationally. Cohn noted that Europe is one region where the show is gaining traction.

“As a relatively new franchise with notable reach into the marketing world aimed at today’s youngest generations, this is a film that should capture the interest of that audience and continue showcasing its strengths as a fresh brand,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory.

And it can be a relatively affordable way to extend a franchise’s reach.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” had a production budget of just over $30 million, a small investment for the likes of Universal and DreamWorks Animation compared to other theatrical kids films. For example, franchise films from Disney’s Pixar and Universal’s other animation arm, Illumination, can cost upwards of $200 million to create.

“At DreamWorks, we know how to make a budget fit,” Cohn said. “We make some really big, high-budget, all-audience animated films. But then we also do smaller films like ‘Captain Underpants’ or the most recent one with ‘Dog Man.’ We know how to make high-quality movies for a lower price point.”

Paramount’s two Paw Patrol films had similarly small budgets, according to media reports. “Paw Patrol: The Movie,” released in 2021, generated $40 million domestically and more than $145 million globally, according to data from Comscore. Meanwhile, 2023’s “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” collected $65 million domestically and $200 globally.

Universal estimated that “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” snared $13.7 million in domestic ticket sales during its opening weekend. That’s just shy of the $15 million to $25 million that box office analysts had predicted.

While theatrical revenues are important, bringing “Gabby’s Dollhouse” to the big screen is part of a wider strategy. The content is part of an interconnected ecosystem that includes toys, books, merchandise and live events.

“I came from Nickelodeon,” Cohn said. “We studied the audience a lot, and we knew that they liked to watch a show, but then they wanted to play it, iterate on it, and experience the characters and ideas in their own way, in their own form. And so we developed the Gabby franchise to let them do just that.”

DreamWorks partnered with toy company Spin Master to manufacture a line of toys tied to “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” The range of products includes playsets, figures, plush toys, games and puzzles. Since launching the line, Spin Master has sold four million dollhouses tied to the show.

Cohn said DreamWorks Animation “nurtured and brewed success” for “Gabby’s Dollhouse” with through the Spin Master partnership as well as through the production of YouTube shorts, grassroots marketing and a traveling live show presented by Walmart.

“The series just grew and grew and grew,” Cohn said. “And then it gets to a certain point you’re able to deliver on bigger strategic franchise expansion with live entertainment and shows in museums and presence in the parks and music, you know, all that comes when you have a property that kids respond to.”

“Gabby’s Dollhouse” has been a top five preschool toy property for five of the last eight quarters, according to data from Circana. It has been a top 10 property for 10 straight quarters.

In addition to toys, “Gabby’s Dollhouse” has merchandise collections with Walmart, Target and Amazon, that include apparel, home goods, games and even toothbrushes. As the film heads to theaters, audiences will be able to buy themed popcorn buckets, drink tumblers and other specialty items.

The franchise has also become part of Universal’s theme parks, with character meet-and-greets with Gabby and retail areas where guests can buy headbands, plush and apparel.

And Universal isn’t stopping there. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” sets up a bigger future for Gabby and a potential spin-off series. As the film credits roll, Gabby puts the finishing touches on a new dollhouse — a dog dollhouse that she says her little sister will love.

When asked about what “Gabby Dollhouse” fans can expect following the reveal, Cohn teased, “You’re gonna have to wait and see.”

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of Fandango and NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of Fandango and CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant.