Ahead of the Barbie movie's anticipated release, toymaking giant Mattel announces several new films based on its toys, including one centered around everyone's favorite purple dinosaur, Barney, and their Hot Wheels set.
Per Time Magazine, Mattel confirmed their intention to create 14 movies chronicling some of their most popular toys and characters. One such film focuses on Barney the Dinosaur, with Black Panther and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse actor Daniel Kaluuya set to star. Additionally, a Hot Wheels movie is in the works, with J.J. Abrams producing the film. Abrams is known for directing multiple Star Wars titles, including The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, as well as Mission Impossible III and 2009's Star Trek. Mattel's expansion into the movie business comes as the company transitions from being a toy manufacturer into an "IP company that is managing franchises," according to CEO Ynon Kreiz.
Reports of a Barney film being early in development came out last July when Kaluuya confirmed he was working on it, claiming the live-action project would tell a more heartbreaking tale of the iconic children's show character. The Barney film also comes following a rebrand of the loveable dinosaur, with Mattel announcing a franchise relaunch and makeover of the character ahead of an upcoming animated series. Meanwhile, the Hot Wheels movie will be based on the popular line of toy racing cars, with the rumored release date set for June 2025.
Meanwhile, Mattel hopes Barbie will be a box-office hit as the live-action film based on its hallowed fashion doll set will directly battle Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which premieres on the same day. Starring Margot Robbie as the central character, Barbie sees the eponymous doll struggle for perfection in Barbie Land. This leads to her expulsion from the fantasy land and her quest for happiness within the human world. Robbie is one of several Barbies to feature in the film, with Issa Rae's President Barbie, Kate McKinnon's Weird Barbie, and Dua Lipa's Mermaid Barbie also appearing. There are also several versions of Barbie's longtime admirer, Ken, in the film, including the primary version played by Ryan Gosling and variations of the character played by John Cena, Ncuti Gatwa, and Simu Liu, among others. Additionally, legendary comedic actor Will Ferrell appears as Mattel's CEO, while Academy Award Winner Helen Mirren is the film's narrator.
Barbie Had a Long Development History
Robbie replaced Amy Schumer in the lead role after Schumer dropped out of the project early in development. She was announced to star in Barbie in 2019, a decade after it was announced a movie based on the doll was coming. The Barbie film's rights were transferred multiple times, going from Universal Pictures to Sony Pictures before eventually ending up with Warner Bros. The movie is directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside her partner Noah Baumbach.
Rated PG-13, Barbie boasts a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes. The film was made on a $100 million budget, with early projections having the fantasy comedy beating Oppenheimer at the box office during its premiere weekend.
Fans can check out the Barbie movie when it opens in theaters on Jul. 21.
Source: Time Magazine