Mattel Wants To Make Barbie Sequels & More Movies Based On Other IPs

Mattel has confirmed to Variety that they want to make a bunch of Barbie sequels following its massive box office success with a US$414.4 million box office total to date (at the time of writing).

Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said:

“Barbie, as a brand, has many different iterations. The product lines of Barbie is a very broad brand. In addition to the main Barbie figure, she has family, she has a lot of elements around in her universe. It’s a very rich universe… It’s a very broad and very elastic brand, in terms of opportunities.

At the outset, we’re not saying, ‘Okay, let’s think already about movie two and three.’ Let’s get the first one right and make that a success. And if you do that, opportunities open up very quickly, once you establish the first movie as a successful representation of a franchise on the big screen.

Successful movies lend themselves to more movies.

Our ambition is to create film franchises.”

In the meantime, check out our review of Barbie here or head on over here for how the movie rebranded the whole franchise.

Mattel already has a lot of movie projects based on their IP currently in various stages of development.

Check them out below:

Barney

Producer: Daniel Kaluuya

It’s a live-action film that Mattel has described as an “A24-type” “surrealistic” movie.

Robbie Brenner, the Oscar-nominated producer who runs Mattel Films and produced “Barbie” and all developing Mattel film projects, said:

“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’. Any movie that has Barney is not certainly going to be straightforward.

We’re not making ‘Ted.’ You know what I mean?”

Reciting the famous “Barney” song (“I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family”), she also said that the upcoming film will be about “identity and finding who you love and who feels alienated” and “what does it all mean?” Brenner says the film will “be more adult and have adult themes — and sort of be a little bit off-kilter.”

Polly Pocket

Studio: MGM

Star: Lily Collins

Writer/Director: Lena Dunham

Brenner confirmed to Variety that there is a script, which she enthusiastically describes as a “great” script.

She added:

“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.”

Hot Wheels

Studio: Warner Bros.

Producer: JJ Abrams

Brenner told Variety that his words mean that the film will have “real characters that you can relate to, that are three-dimensional, that have emotional journeys.”

She adds:

“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.”

Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots

Studio: Universal

Star: Vin Diesel

Writer: Ryan Engle

Brenner said:

“Vin is excited. We’re working on developing a script and we’re all very excited about it.”

American Girl

A family comedy is in development, based on the world of dolls, content and experiences that Mattel says “help girls grow with confidence and develop character.”

Magic 8 Ball

A film adaptation of the Magic 8 Ball will “probably be a PG-13 thriller,” Brenner teases.

Masters Of The Universe

Mattel is now looking for a new buyer for “Masters Of The Universe,” after Netflix dropped the project. The project had most recently attached filmmaking duo the Nee brothers, and “West Side Story” actor Kyle Allen to star as He-Man.

Major Matt Mason

Star: Tom Hanks

Writer: Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon

Hanks will star as the Mattel astronaut action figure from the 1960s who lives and works on the moon.

UNO

Writer: Marcy Kelly

The top-performing card game in the world will now become a movie.

Wishbone

Studio: Universal

Producer: Peter Farrelly

The literary Jack Russell terrier who became famous on PBS in the ‘90s will now star in his own family-friendly adventure comedy, produced by the “Dumb & Dumber” filmmaker.

Matchbox

Studio: Skydance

Writer: David Coggeshall

An action movie will be based on the legendary toy cars that were invented in 1953.

Thomas & Friends

Director: Marc Forster

The “World War Z” and “Monster’s Ball” director will helm a fantasy film based on the children’s animated train series.

View Master

Long before VR, there was the picture viewer that was invented in 1939. Now, an adventure film will be based on the classic toy.

Christmas Balloon

Writer: Gabby Lugo

Producer: Chris Lemos

Not based on a toy but based on a true story of when Mattel donated toys to help make a young girl’s dream come true after she tied her Christmas list to a balloon that was found by a grieving couple who worked with the toy company to fulfil the girl’s wishes. Mattel looks to produce a family drama drawing from the story.