Dora has "always been part of pop culture," Belli said, adding that he has a 5-year-old who's a big fan. "When I got the job, he got more excited than I did," the director said with a laugh.

Dora the Explorer, the beloved animated series that revolved around Dora Márquez and her adventures with her talking backpack and a monkey named Boots, has not only been a staple in children’s ...