Latest news with #MattelStudios
Fast Company
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
From Hot Wheels to He-Man: Meet the Mattel exec charged with spotting toy stories with Barbie box office potential
When it comes to turning a beloved toy into a box office hit, it'd be hard to top 2023's Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie. But Mattel veteran Robbie Brenner, who produced the nearly $1.5 billion-grossing film, has no interest in resting on her laurels. In June, the toy company launched Mattel Studios, bringing together its film and TV efforts under Brenner. At the studio's president and chief content officer, Brenner now oversees more 15 projects in development, each with a unique twist. There's a Hot Wheels movie helmed by Wicked director Jon M. Chu, a horror-skewing adaptation of Barney being written by The Bear' s Ayo Edebiri, and an adaptation of the He-man property Masters of the Universe. Most recently, Mattel announced that it's working with Minions studio Illumination on an animated Barbie movie. I spoke to Brenner about how she chooses which intellectual property to develop into bigger projects, the importance of delivering both fan service and organic storytelling, and how she plans to replicate Barbie's success with another toy franchise. You came to Mattel from Miramax seven years ago. When you first started at Mattel, how did you take stock of what properties you wanted to develop into bigger projects? Where else do you come in your life, aside from Disney, where you have endless titles that you and your kids grew up playing with? When I came into the company, there were like 200 brands, either from Mattel or from buying other libraries or buying other companies. I looked at each title and used my intuition, to say like, okay, that title, that brand, that sounds like that could be like a big theatrical experience. And so I whittled it down to some 40 titles. Those were my starting block for building out this film division. Barbie was the last movie that I ever thought we were gonna make. Everybody has a relationship with Barbie, and that makes it even harder to find a way into that story. For us it was really Greta's love and affinity for Barbie, and her voice, which is so unexpected and authentic. That's the way we're trying to approach all these movies—doing things that feel like they have a reason to exist by working with these unique voices. Especially when we're consumed by our phones, the only way to cut through that is to do something that feels wholly unique in an authentic way. To be able to open up my rolodex and pair the filmmakers and writers I've worked with up with these brands has been so much fun. Did the success of Barbie change your approach to how you develop a project? You need a strong script and somebody that has the vision to tell the story in a way that feels different and interesting. That has always been a huge component of how we approach our IP. We're just keeping our heads down and trying to tell great stories. Barbie was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon—one could only hope to replicate that. But we've got Masters of the Universe coming out next year, and it's the polar opposite to Barbie. It's this incredible spectacle that [director] Travis Knight has pulled off with the rich canon of characters and mythology. It'll be fun to show the world that we can do so many things. Similarly, [tk IP] Matchbox is a high-octane action movie, but it has so much heart. I'm sure a lot of people will compare everything we do to Barbie. Not everything can be Barbie. We look at these brands individually and we treat them individually. Sometimes we're going to make smaller movies that are just great stories that need to be told, and other times there will be just huge tentpole movies. I think as long as we continue to stick with our approach and vision, good things will come. Now that Mattel's TV and film efforts are unified, has your approach changed? You mentioned Disney as having a similarly rich IP library. Do you take inspiration from their approach? Movies and TV, theatrical and streaming, they're all very blurred lines right now. So I just look at it all holistically as content—short form, premium, scripted—and I want to work with the same writers and directors that I have relationships with. Mattel Studios is about aligning under one banner and looking holistically about where a brand is better sitting—as a television show or a movie. The philosophy is the same: telling great, unexpected stories with brave filmmakers. Over the next couple months, you'll see a lot of movement on television. We have a lot of shows in negotiation right now with incredible creatives. We're all working together to maximize the evergreen properties we have to make sure that we're franchising them in the best way so we're not stepping on each other. It's more synergy and made a lot of sense for all of us to sit together and work together to maximize Mattel's potential.
Express Tribune
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Barbie' animated film in development at Illumination and Mattel Studios following live-action success
An animated Barbie feature is officially in the works from Illumination and Mattel Studios, marking the first time the doll will headline a theatrically released animated film. The project follows the massive global success of 2023's live-action Barbie, which grossed over $1.44 billion and earned eight Academy Award nominations and one win. While the new film has not yet been dated and plot details remain undisclosed, sources confirm that Universal Pictures will handle its release. Greta Gerwig's Barbie, released by Warner Bros., became a global cultural event and remains the highest-grossing film in the studio's history, as well as the most successful film ever directed by a woman. This move comes amid broader growth at Mattel Studios, which recently unified its television and film divisions. Alongside Barbie, the studio is developing multiple toy-based adaptations, including Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and others such as UNO, Polly Pocket, and American Girl. Illumination, the studio behind hits like Minions and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has a proven record of box office performance and will next release sequels to both franchises in 2026.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jon M. Chu to Direct ‘Hot Wheels' Movie for Warner Bros., Mattel
Crazy Rich Asians and Wicked director Jon M. Chu is set to helm the live-action Hot Wheels feature, the big screen take on Mattel's iconic toy cars for Warner Bros. The screenwriting duo of Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier will pen the script, with J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions, which has longstanding ties with Warner Bros., and Chu's Electric Somewhere producing. More from The Hollywood Reporter Box Office: 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Hatches New Era for Dino Franchise With $323M Global Bow James Gunn Says 'Superman' Is About an "Immigrant That Came From Other Places" Michael Madsen, 'Reservoir Dogs' Actor, Dies at 67 The hiring of the director and writers is a major development for the project that originated with Warner teaming with Mattel Studios in January 2019 to develop and produce a big-screen project. The action film promises to bring the iconic Hot Wheels franchise to the movies screen. 'Jon's ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames. Paired with Juel and Tony's compelling storytelling, this team is uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture.,' Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Studios and chief content officer, said in a statement on Monday. The collaboration between Warner Bros. and Mattel Studios follows the box-office success of the Greta Gerwig-directed Warner Bros. tentpole Barbie. Chu added in his own statement: 'Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it's about imagination, connection and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I'm excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honors Hot Wheels' legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new.' Chu recently directed Universal Pictures' Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. He also directed In the Heights for Warner Bros. The film's producers — including Mattel as it looks to its toy properties to become a franchise-driven entertainment giant — have yet to lift the hood on the movie's plotline. 'We already felt incredibly lucky to collaborate with Mattel on this special film. Having Jon, Juel and Tony come aboard takes our excitement to a whole new level,' said Abrams in his own statement. Taylor and Rettenmaier have worked on projects like Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone, which marked Taylor's directorial debut. Brenner is producing for Mattel Studios alongside Chu, Abrams and Michael Bostick. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
AsiaOne
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Jon M. Chu to direct live-action Hot Wheels movie, Entertainment News
Jon M. Chu is set to direct a live-action Hot Wheels movie. The 45-year-old filmmaker has been hired to direct the movie for Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures. Robbie Brenner, the president and chief content officer of Mattel Studios, said in statement given to Deadline: "Jon's ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames. "Paired with Juel and Tony's compelling storytelling, this team is uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture." Jon is thrilled to be working on it and also "excited to partner with Mattel Studios" on the project. He said: "Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it's about imagination, connection and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I'm excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honours Hot Wheels' legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new." Jesse Ehrman, the Warner Bros. Pictures' President of Development and Production, thinks Jon is the perfect director for the project. Jesse said: "Jon is a visionary director and an incredible partner to Warner Bros. We are thrilled to have him join us, along with the talented writing duo of Juel and Tony. "With our collaborators at Bad Robot and Mattel Studios, we can't wait to bring Hot Wheels to life on the big screen." Jon's previous directing credits include Crazy Rich Asians and Wicked. The acclaimed filmmaker previously explained how a meeting with Steven Spielberg changed his life. Speaking to NPR, Jon shared: "I got to go to the Dreamworks office, which is, you know, overwhelming when you're 22 years old. I was prepared to tell him how much I loved him. And all he did was tell me what he loved about my short [film]… He invited me to his set to visit him and watch him direct. And it was the most encouraging, beautiful thing that someone could do… "It was a masterclass for me to watch... He gave me a seat next to him. I'm sharing candy with him and this musical number that he was shooting, it wasn't happening… I saw him totally calm, never panic, and he just said, 'No, we're going to switch this camera. Forget that whole thing. We're going to switch the camera here, do this, do that.' And the whole machine moved. And he was just right back at the seat with me, and it kept going." [[nid:719936]]
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
'Wicked' director Jon M. Chu to direct live-action Hot Wheels film for Mattel
Jon M. Chu is going from singing witches to toy cars. The " Wicked" director is set to helm a live-action Hot Wheels film, Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures announced Monday. " Creed II" screenwriters Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier are writing the film's script, while J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions will produce. The film will be inspired by the Hot Wheels cars, which are the world's bestselling toys, according to a press release from Mattel. "The high-octane action film will bring the beloved, multi-generational Hot Wheels franchise to life, showcasing some of the world's hottest and sleekest vehicles," an official description of the film reads. Chu said that Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed. "It's about imagination, connection, and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity," Chu said in a press release. "I'm excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honors Hot Wheels' legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new." Robbie Brenner, the president of Mattel Studios and the chief content officer of Mattel, explained in a statement why Chu was the right director for the project. "Jon's ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life," Brenner said. "His films are visual spectacles -- true eye candy -- but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames." Chu's upcoming sequel film "Wicked: For Good" arrives in theaters Nov. 21.
