I, a Supposed Grown-Up, Have Big Feelings About the Upcoming ‘Bluey’ Special

Note: this post was updated on February 29, 2024.

Bluey fans—including some who are a wee bit older than the show’s targeted demographic—are in for a treat in 2024. Not only are the 10 latest episodes finally hitting Disney+ in January, but a 28-minute special called “The Sign” will premiere globally later this year.

28 straight minutes of Bluey!

Although there’s no official plot synopsis yet, Ludo Studios and Disney+ did release a teaser for the special (although at least some of the footage in it is from previous episodes).

“We’re so excited to share that a 28-minute special episode is coming in 2024,” Ludo Studio says in a statement on the show’s website. “There’ll be lots of laughs, exciting guest voices, and definitely a few tears. We’re so incredibly proud of the awesome team behind the series and we can’t wait for Australia and the world to watch this very special Bluey episode with their family and friends.”

Tears!? Oh no! Like the best children’s shows, Bluey can get kind of heavy sometimes. Remember “Copycat,” in which Bluey can’t save a hurt bird, and later she insists on reenacting its death instead of giving the story a happy ending? Or what about the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in “The Show,” when we find out that Chilli had a miscarriage? Am I going to cry in front of my kids during this special? Am I going to watch my husband cry in front of our kids during this special? Because that happened with Charlotte’s Web and Inside Out, and it’s not fun.

There’s also the question of whether a Bluey plot can sustain itself for almost half an hour, since normal Bluey episodes average about 10 minutes. It could turn out that the shorter Bluey is, the better. Or the special could blow our minds when Bluey is freed from its time constraints. I don’t know what to expect!

Anyway, here’s everything we know about the special so far!

Bluey special cast: who’s in “The Sign”?

Who are the “exciting guest voices” appearing in “The Sign?” We don’t know yet, but Bluey has gotten high-caliber guest stars in the past, like Lin Manuel Miranda (who appears as a talking horse in “Stories”) and Natalie Portman (the documentary narrator in “Whale Watching”).

We know that David McCormack and Melanie Zanetti will reprise the roles of Bandit and Chilli Heeler. The identities of Bluey and Bingo’s voice actors aren’t public, but we’re guessing those actors will return for the special.

Bluey special plot: what happens in “The Sign”?

As with the cast, no details about the plot of the Bluey special have been released yet. We’re guessing it’ll be full of rollicking, good-natured fun.

Bluey special release window: when is “The Sign” coming out?

Disney, BBC, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have announced that “The Sign” will premiere around the world on April 14, 2024.

And there’s a twist. One new regular length episode, “Ghostbasket,” will premiere globally on April 7, one week before the special. Does “Ghostbasket” lead into “The Sign” somehow? We’ll have to wait and see!

(featured image: Disney+)