Threewise Entertainment has been awarded the rights to produce a feature film based on the 1974 children's television series Bagpuss and says the project will remain true to the original show's look and tone. Michael Ford, the chief executive of the Birmingham-based company, said the production team is working closely with the families of the original creators and aims to keep “everything that everybody loved about those characters.”
Ford confirmed the company reached an agreement with Small Films during Bagpuss’s 50th anniversary last year and has signed a deal to bring the saggy old cloth cat to cinemas in 2027. Daniel Postgate, the son of co-creator Oliver Postgate, has agreed to join the project, Ford said, after reviewing Threewise’s pitch and creative approach.
The film will combine live action and animation and shift the narrative perspective from the original series. In the 1974 television show, Bagpuss acted as a storyteller, described by Ford as “like your grandad, he was there in the metaphorical armchair telling you about his tales and adventures gone by.” The new big-screen version, Ford said, will send Bagpuss on a larger, more outward-facing adventure while retaining the characters’ established personalities.
Threewise has emphasised fidelity to the original visual design created by Peter Firmin, which Ford credited with helping the show endure. He said the use of real models in the original production gave the series a tangible quality, comparing the approach to how early Star Wars scenes were filmed, and that the new film will aim to capture some of that realism even as it incorporates modern filmmaking techniques.
Small Films, the original production company founded by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, created Bagpuss as a short-run series that first aired in 1974. The stories revolved around a saggy, pink-and-white cloth cat who came to life in a shop window, along with an ensemble of toy and model characters. Although only 13 episodes were made, the series became a lasting part of British children’s culture and has been celebrated in anniversaries and retrospectives since.
Ford said Threewise’s creative team presented a pitch that sought to introduce new situations for the characters without altering what made them beloved. He described working with the original families as akin to “getting your favourite cuddly toy out of the attic,” and said they had sought Daniel Postgate’s involvement to help ensure the project respected his father’s legacy.
No further casting, director or distribution partners have been announced. The 2027 release date is the target set by Threewise; details about production timelines, budgets and international release plans have not yet been disclosed. Small Films and representatives of the Postgate and Firmin families did not immediately issue separate statements beyond confirming their collaboration with Threewise.
Bagpuss’s return to the big screen follows a broader trend of reviving and adapting classic children’s properties for contemporary audiences, often blending practical effects and digital animation. Threewise’s public comments stress continuity with the original series’ aesthetic and storytelling, while signalling a new scale for the character’s adventures.
Further announcements about cast, crew and production milestones are expected as the project moves into development and principal photography phases ahead of the planned 2027 cinema release.