Barbie has taken the world by storm. During a year when films have struggled to succeed at the box office, Barbie has broken all-time box office records, scoring Warner Bros.' biggest Monday ever. The film was more than 10 years in the making, and its success will likely not only lead into a sequel, but also grow studio interest in producing films based on toys.
Before Barbie hit theaters, Mattel was already developing live-action films based on their other properties. Mattel has ranked as the second-largest toy company in the world (only behind the Lego Group) and their film division could potentially explode in prominence very soon. Here's a look at every upcoming movie based on Mattel toys to keep on your radar.
American Girl
More than 10 films based on the characters of American Girl have already been made, with the majority being made for television or going direct-to-DVD. Before appearing on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Olivia Rodrigo starred in 2015's An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success. Mattel has partnered with MGM to produce the next film in the film series. The last film in the American Girl series to receive a theatrical release was 2008's Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.
Barney
Mattel Films have been working on bringing Barney to the big screen with Daniel Kaluuya's production company, 59%. Kevin McKeon, an executive at Mattel Films, shared that the film would lean into "millenial angst" and explore the "trials and tribulations of being thirty-something, growing up with Barney." He also went so far as to compare the film's surrealistic approach to Adaptation and Being John Malkovich.
Big Jim
In 2022, Variety reported that Dan Mazer, a writer on Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, was developing a film based on Big Jim. The Big Jim toy line began in the early 1970s and featured muscular characters that were often athletes or spies.
Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy
Details have been scarce, but it has been announced that films based on Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy are being developed by Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films.
Christmas Balloon
At the end of 2021, Mattel Films announced they were developing their first film to be based on an entirely new IP. The film was based on the true story of Dáyami, a young girl who attached a Christmas wish list to a balloon that ended up in Arizona. The balloon was found by Randy and Marcella Heiss, who while grieving the loss of their own child, decided to fulfill the Christmas wishes of Dáyami.
Hot Wheels
According to The NPD Group and Mattel's official website, Hot Wheels has become the number one selling toy in the world. In January 2019, it was announced that Mattel and Warner Bros. had joined forces to produce a live-action Hot Wheels film.
In April 2022, J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions was announced to be producing the film. Abrams teased the film as being "emotional and grounded and gritty" in July 2023. The Hot Wheels film has found itself in a position where it can offer audiences an alternative to the over two-decade-spanning Fast & Furious franchise.
Magic 8 Ball
Mattel Films have been developing a Magic 8 Ball movie as a horror-comedy. The head of Mattel Films however, has made it clear that while the film will "[walk] the line," it will not be rated R and will stay "within the parameters of what Mattel is." Jimmy Warden, who wrote 2023's Cocaine Bear, will be penning the script.
Major Matt Mason
Popular during the Space Race, Major Matt Mason was an astronaut who lived and worked on the moon. A film based on the toy was announced all the way back in 2011 with Tom Hanks set to star as Mattel's Man-in-Space. In September 2019, Variety reported that Akiva Goldsman would be writing the script after already having worked with Hanks on The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.
Masters of the Universe
The Masters of the Universe reboot has spent many years in development purgatory. It seemed the project was finally coming to fruition at Netflix, but in July 2023, Netflix pulled the plug after spending more than $30 million during development. While the film has been canceled at Netflix, Mattel Films has not given up on finding a new buyer. The characters of He-Man and She-Ra are just waiting to be introduced to a new audience.
Matchbox
Mattel has teamed up with Skydance Media to produce the first live-action Matchbox film. It remains to be seen how exactly the film will differ from the live-action Hot Wheels, but the Matchbox toys have traditionally had a reputation of being more grounded.
Polly Pocket
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have been developing a Polly Pocket film that will star Emily in Paris' Lily Collins. Lena Dunham has been attached as writer and director, and the film will be produced by Dunham's production company, Good Thing Going.
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
In 2021, it was announced that Universal was developing a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots film with Vin Diesel's production company, One Race Films. Diesel himself has been set to star, playing a father, who, with his son, forms "an unlikely bond with an advanced war machine." Ryan Engle, who co-wrote Rampage, The Commuter, and Beast, has been working on the script.
Thomas & Friends
A Thomas & Friends film was announced to be in development at Marc Forster's production company 2Dux². Forster, who directed Quantum of Solace, World War Z, and Disney's Christopher Robin, was revealed to be co-producing and directing the film. The announcement also revealed that the Thomas & Friends film would mix CGI with live-action. The script was written by Alyssa Hill (A Taste of Power) and Jesse Wigutow (the upcoming Tron: Ares).
Uno
Strongly inspired by the hip hop scene in Atlanta, the Uno movie was developed as an action heist comedy. American rapper Lil Yachty helped develop the project and has been eyed for the lead role.
View-Master
The View-Master, a stereoscope toy, first made its debut in 1939. Former MGM Motion Picture Group president Jonathan Glickman described the View-Master as "the first device that allowed families all over the world to escape their reality and take them places they never thought they could go" (via Deadline). Mattel has yet to reveal details about the View-Master film's characters and plot.
Wishbone
It has been more than 25 years since the last episode of Wishbone aired on PBS. Mattel has begun working on a modern reimagining of the franchise with Universal Pictures.
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