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Ticket sales are finally starting to climb again, and it’s not just people going to the movies; toy manufacturers are as well. There are over a dozen projects underway at Mattel to produce movies for television. The company is planning to launch a Barbie movie in conjunction with the doll’s 60th birthday. It will not be a lighthearted romp, however. It will star A-listers Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director behind Little Women and Lady Bird, and Issa Rae and Hari Nef, who will play different versions of Barbie, accompanied by their own Kens.
Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz believes that the upcoming movie “Barbie” will be “a societal moment” due to the cultural icon status of the Barbie brand. The corporation is also working on a Masters of the Universe film and a project with Tom Hanks, as well as other films based on its own toys and games. Hasbro is also reaping benefits from its Marvel and Star Wars licenses and production of its own films.
A Dungeons and Dragons movie with Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez has been described as a cross between Game of Thrones and a prince in next year’s Dungeons and Dragons movie. A clue television series, a franchised TV series of unscripted programmes, one a children’s programme involving a junkyard and a series of unscripted programmes themed on Operation Nerf and Play Doh will be produced. From Hasbro, fans can expect two to three feature films and three to four streaming series per year, according to CEO Brian Goldner. Some of the shows will be rerun, which will allow the company to expand its production capacity. In addition to acquiring Back to the Beef Productions, Entertainment One has two hundred additional films and television productions in development. The firms don’t want to just license their brands, but control their content.
The goal of creating films is to promote products and not commercials that are just meant to sell toys. Wall Street investors believe that Mattel’s new productions will be profitable, while there is a lot of enthusiasm for Hasbro’s new content. Content can be used to generate new revenue streams and market segments for both companies.
What do you think of those new movies coming? Let us know down in the comments.
