In an attempt to gain a larger and more international audience by conquering the Spanish and U.S. markets, famed Mexican kid’s program El Chavo del Ocho is going to become a cartoon:

The comedy series ‘El Chavo’ will become a cartoon series and will air on regular television throughout Latin Amerca starting October 22nd, according to the Televisa network.

This is the first time that the characters from “El Chavo del Ocho” will appear on TV as cartoons, and the objective is that this popular program “travel” and be seen by a new generation of viewers

The only thing missing in the cartoon version — and in my opinion this is a big loss — is La Chilindrina. Why? Because apparently Chespirito doesn’t own the rights to the character — La Chilindrina herself (actress María Antonieta de las Nieves) does! Way to not sell out, Chilis. And, according to Wikipedia:

In a rather strange turn, María Antonieta de las Nieves was able to win a legal battle over Chespirito in 2003, one that gives her permission to act as La Chilindrina in public whenever she wants to, and grants her rights over the character she played. Chespirito owns the rights to most of the characters of the shows he created, which caused, among other things, Rubén Aguirre to move to Argentina so he could revive his Profesor Jirafales character.

While I’m glad to see that El Chavo is going international, I’m skeptical as to whether the animated version will live up to the bizarro glory of the live action original.

Via / 20 Minutos