'Barbie' Is The Harbinger For A Horde Of Upcoming Mattel Adaptations

Mattel is ready to redefine playtime, with 45 film and television projects based on their products in development

Barbie, the long-awaited big screen adaptation of the Mattel toy, is just about two weeks from release, and it’s estimated for greatness at the box office at an $80-$100 million opening weekend. So with a “next Barbie” being sought, so far the calls are coming from inside the house.

Mattel has already announced fourteen other films based on their properties over the years. Among them are the Daniel Kaluuya-produced Barney the Dinosaur movie, the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe movie in development hell since 2007 that once had Noah Centineo attached but now has Kyle Allen from West Side Story in the role, and a Major Matt Mason movie that’s been in development since 2011. Based on an action figure who is an astronaut who lives and works on the moon it is basically most remembered today for inspiring Buzz Lightyear. Supposedly, it’s Tom Hanks still attached to play Mason. There’s also a Polly Pocket movie for MGM with Lena Dunham directing and Lily Collins starring. The latest iteration of a Hot Wheels film is at Warner Bros. with Bad Robot producing.

Other announced projects that have piled up included American Girl, with a script Kevin McKeon, vice president of Mattel Films described as “Booksmart meets Bill & Ted.”, Magic 8 Ball, Big Jim, Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy, Matchbox, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master, and Wishbone. The Magic 8 Ball script is coming from Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden, and is a horror-comedy. Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel films says it’s not going to be R-rated, in fact none of them are, but that film in particular will skirt. “We’re not going to make anything that feels violent, or that is alienating to families” she says, insisting that Mattel won’t stray from being a family brand.

Similarly McKeon talked about Kaluuya’s “surrealistic” Barney “We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” he said. “It’ll focus on some of the trials and tribulations of being thirtysomething, growing up with Barney… the level of disenchantment within the generation.” He told me later that it had been pitched as an “A24-type” film: “It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that we’re here to make art.” J. J. Abrams, co-founder of Bad Robot Productions has spoken about what they’re trying to do with Hot Wheels. “For a long time, we were talking to Mattel about Hot Wheels, and we couldn’t quite find the thing that clicked, that made it worthy of what Hot Wheels…deserved,” calling it “emotional and grounded and gritty”.

The 45 film projects are on top of the undisclosed amount of television projects, plus whatever else is ongoing. Barbie releases on July 21, the franchise revival of Monster High has resulted in a movie sequel and a second season of the animated series. Masters of the Universe: Revolution is also awaited, and Barney gets a new animated series in Barney’s World next year on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and Max.

Source:The New Yorker