Barbie Owners Mattel Has 45 Other Toy-Based Movies in the Pipeline, Includes Barney, Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, and He-Man

American toymaker Mattel is now aggressively pursuing the creation of more films based on its properties, with the upcoming release of Barbie scheduled for this July. It turns out it already has 45 movies in development, with 13 of them reportedly being announced. However, the success of Barbie will undoubtedly impact the fate of these movies.

Multiple other toy-movies in development at Mattel Films

According to an in-depth analysis of Mattel’s recent strategies by The New Yorker, the company is actively working to capitalise on its intellectual property in the film industry under the leadership of CEO Ynon Kreiz. Mattel Films is headed by Robbie Brenner, a veteran from Miramax, who emphasises the importance of intellectual property in today’s world, stating, “In the world we’re living in, I.P. is king. Pre-awareness is so important.”

Film on Barney, the purple dinosaur

Some of the other confirmed films include one starring Daniel Kaluuya, based on Barney, the purple dinosaur. Kevin McKeon, a Mattel Films executive working with Brenner, describes the film as “surrealistic.” McKeon further elaborated:

“We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids. It’s really a play for adults. Not that it’s R-rated, but it’ll focus on some of the trials and tribulations of being thirtysomething, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”

Major Matt Manson film in the makes

There’s also a confirmed Major Matt Manson film, which is supposed to star Tom Hanks. Ironically, Major Matt Manson is the same toy that inspired Buzz Lightyear in the Pixar film series Toy Story, a character also voiced by Hanks.

View-Master, Polly Pocket and American films in development

A View-Master film is also currently in the works at Mattel Films, along with films about Polly Pocket and American Girl. The script of the American Girl film reportedly takes a “booksmart meets Bill & Ted” approach. Additionally, Adam and Aaron Nee are reportedly about to start production on the Masters of the Universe film, which is said to be Mattel’s most anticipated project after Barbie.

Magic 8 Ball film also planned

There’s more. A Magic 8 Ball movie is also being planned, with Cocaine Bear screenwriter Jimmy Warden, designing a horror-comedy around it. Robbie Brenner informs that the subject of this film has been up for debate, however. They further added that they’re “not going to make any rated-R movies,”. Though the Magic 8 Ball script reportedly “walks the line a little bit”, they’re not going to “make anything that feels violent, or that is alienating to families…we want to stay within the parameters of what Mattel is.”, said Brenner.

There’s more. A Magic 8 Ball film is also in the works, with screenwriter Jimmy Warden, known for Cocaine Bear, crafting a horror-comedy around it. Robbie Brenner mentions that the subject of this film has been a topic of debate. They also clarify that they won’t be producing any rated-R movies. Although the Magic 8 Ball script reportedly “walks the line a little bit,” they aim to avoid anything “violent or alienating to families.” Brenner states, “We want to stay within the parameters of what Mattel is.”

Latest on the Hot Wheels film

A Hot Wheels film has also been long anticipated. It has been reported that J.J. Abrams is leading the project. CEO Kreiz mentioned in a statement that:

“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—that title—deserved,” he said. “Then we came up with something . . . emotional and grounded and gritty.”

According to The New Yorker, a script for the Hot Wheels film has not yet been developed.

Other films

Mattel screenwriter Marcy Kelly had reportedly been working on a script for the card game UNO, but the project was put on hold. One of her drafts was based on Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, aligning with the concept of a heist film she had been given. Unfortunately, her scripts were ultimately scrapped due to Mattel’s censorship before they could be realised. Kelly has also reportedly worked on a script for Bob the Builder.

Other movies that Mattel plans to make include toys like Boglin, Bass Fishin. Monopoly was once known to be a film in development under Ridley Scott, before it got shelved for good.

However, all of this rests on the performance of Barbie at the box office, and how the upcoming film is received by the audience. The New Yorker informs that as per Kreiz’s plans, which involves partnering with multiple studios with timed “development gates” on each contract, “If the creative team that Mattel assembles doesn’t deliver, and quickly, it can be disbanded, allowing the toymaker to move on.”