After Barbie success, Mattel to turn 14 properties into movies including Polly Pocket, Barney, Thomas and Friends and American Girl

In the latest update, 14 properties are in development including Polly Pocket, Barney, Thomas and Friends and American Girl.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

July 27, 2023 - 2:28 PM IST

With the immense success of Barbie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Mattel has decided to make several of their properties into movies. In the latest update, 14 properties are in development including Polly Pocket, Barney, Thomas and Friends and American Girl. Robbie Brenner, the Oscar-nominated producer who runs Mattel Films and who also produced Barbie, said, “Everybody hopes that when you create a movie that there is going to be a franchise. That’s the hope — that it goes on and on and it’s a gift that keeps giving. But, in this day and age, you just want to get the first one right.”

After Barbie success, Mattel to turn 14 properties into movies including Polly Pocket, Barney, Thomas and Friends and American Girl

The first project is Barney, which will be produced by actor Daniel Kaluuya. The live-action film of the purple dinosaur will be an “A24-type surrealistic” movie. Brenner told the publication, “I don’t know that it’s necessarily going to be darker. It’s just going to be unique — more of like a ‘Being John Malkovich’ or an ‘Adaptation,'” she said and referenced the 1999 and 2002 Spike Jonze films.

The second project is Polly Pocket which is being bankrolled by MGM Studios. Starring Lily Collins as the micro-doll, the family comedy will be helmed by Lena Dunham. Brenner revealed, “First of all, they are two of my favorite ladies ever,” Brenner says of Collins and Dunham. “It’s been an amazing collaboration. Lena is so collaborative and rolls up her sleeves and really likes to roll around in notes and listen. She’s incredible. Lily is so smart and so specific and so productorial. It’s just been an incredible collaboration, so we are thrilled about it. Hopefully, we’ll be making that at some point in the future.”

The third project is Hot Wheels being produced by Warner Bros and JJ Abrams. It will feature cars, monster trucks and motorcycles. Brenner revealed that the film will have “real characters that you can relate to, that are three-dimensional, that have emotional journeys.” She added, “Look at any J.J. Abrams movie. All of his movies have an incredible story and incredible characters. That was something that was important to him — to make a movie that’s not just going to be fun and exciting, but that has real emotion and real stakes to it.”

The fourth film is Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, produced by Universal Pictures and stars Vin Diesel with writer Ryan Engle onboard. The next one will be American Girl, which will be a family comedy. This will be followed by Magic 8 Ball and probably will be a PG-13 thriller. Another project in the works is a story around He Man called Masters of the Universe. Kyle Allen is onboard to lead the movie.

The next film Major Matt Mason will star Tom Hanks. It will revolve around astronaut figure from 1960s and will be penned by Akiva Goldsman, and Michael Chabon. Another one is UNO by writer Marcy Kelly.

Wishbone movie is also in the works with Universal Pictures. It will be produced by Dumb & Dumber filmmaker, Peter Farrelly. A Matchbox movie is in the works too with Skydance. It will be written by David Coggeshall

Thomas & Friends fantasy movie will also be made by World War Z and Monster’s Ball director Marc Forster. An adventure movie based on the classic toy View Master is in the works. Another project is Christmas Balloon by writer Gabby Lugo and producer Chris Lemos