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Gina Rodriguez dons Carmen Sandiego gear as she prepares for live-action film
Tomorrow, Gina Rodriguez's animated and modern take on Carmen Sandiego drops on Netflix, but like the late great Billy Mays once said, "Wait! There's more!"
In addition to the cartoon series, Rodriguez will also be appear in a live-action movie, playing the titular character who, after being trained to be a professional thief, decides to only steal from other burglars.
Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we've got our first look at Rodriguez wearing the iconic red hat and overcoat. But, when reached by SYFY WIRE, Netflix clarified this isn't a shot of Rodriguez in costume per se, just an homage to the look. But, it stands to reason it'll look something like this.
“Playing the role of Carmen Sandiego is a dream come true,” said Rodriguez in an official release. “My sisters and I grew up playing Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? We didn’t know who she was or why she was doing the things she did, but she was this smart, savvy Latina woman [voiced by Rita Moreno] who was getting out in the world, seeing all kinds of places and exploring different cultures. I idolized those things about her. And now I’m lucky enough to extend the story of a character who still inspires me everyday, introducing kids not just to her adventures, but also revealing new details about her past.”
Rodriguez's stint as the globe-trotting goniff is meant to kick off an entirely new multimedia franchise — a YA book series on the way as well. In the show, Rodriguez is joined by Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), who voices a computer genius by the name of Player.
“I think adults will enjoy the nostalgia, and it really does play out like a fun spy show,” the Jane the Virgin actress told EW. “But I’m most excited to binge this with my nieces and nephews — I feel blessed that we get to bring Carmen to the next generation.”
For those who grew up with the character can learn about her lasting cultural impact by partaking in the interactive experience at TheCarmenEffect.com. Teaming with Polygraph, Netflix used over 350,000 tweets made between 2013 and 2018 about Carmen Sandiego all over the world. Those tweets were then analyzed and the resulting data turned into the bilateral study seen on the website, which explores aspects of Carmen's persona, including her "smarts," "style," and "passport goals."
The first season of the animated reboot premieres on Netflix tomorrow, Jan. 18. There is no word just yet on when the live-action movie will be released.
