The name “Carmen Sandiego” conjures up memories of elementary school computer labs, villains with ridiculous pun names, and the melodies of Rockapella. Now, The Tracking Board reports, the franchise is coming back to life on Netflix in an animated remake, with none other than Gina Rodriguez as the voice of everyone’s favorite globetrotting master thief.
Like the original computer games and spin-off TV shows, the Netflix remake of Carmen Sandiego will likely have an educational bent, teaching a new generation of kids that Learning Is Fun. Although a debut date has not yet been confirmed, Netflix has already ordered 20 episodes. That means children will have something to watch after school for at least a good few weeks, and adults looking for a dose of nostalgia can settle in for a proper binge session.
Which parts of the Carmen Sandiego franchise will Netflix draw from? So far, all we know is that it’ll go back to the original computer games rather than the 90s game show. However, if the producers need more source material, they’ve got a lot to choose from: regionally specific spin-off computer games with multiple editions, a cartoon series (with Rita Moreno as the voice of Carmen!), Choose Your Own Adventure-style books, and much more.
In addition to voicing Interpol’s Public Enemy Number One, Rodriguez will be showing off her voice acting skills on the big screen later this year in two animated movies: Ferdinand, a movie adaptation of the classic children’s book Ferdinand the Bull, and The Star, a comedy centered on the Biblical story of Christmas.
Are you looking forward to a Carmen Sandiego remake? What’s the best or most cringeworthy pun you remember from the original franchise? Tell us in the comments!
Images: Flickr/Disney ABC, Giphy
