Bigger than the MCU: Even before the success of “Barbie”, there are still 45 (!) movies in the making – starring Vin Diesel, Tom Hanks and more

“Barbie” doesn’t hit theaters until July 20, 2023, but everyone is already assuming it will be a success – especially toy giant Mattel. The project is special for the company. Because a license was not just sold, but followed the example of Marvel. As the comic giant once demonstrated with “Iron Man”, “Barbie” is now produced in-house with subsidiary Mattel Films. So you want to have more control over the movies based on your own brands.

Because “Barbie” is just the beginning. As in the context of an article by has now become known Mattel Films is currently working on no fewer than 45 filmswhich will be implemented with various partners – not only with “Barbie” studio Warner, but also with companies such as Paramount, Universal or the streaming service Netflix.

These roles are played by Tom Hanks, Vin Diesel and Co.

Not all of the 45 projects are known yet, and many have been circulating for a long time, but should now finally be launched. Work on a new He-Man movie (“Masters Of The Universe”) first began in 2007. But with the experiences of “Barbie” and Netflix as a new partner, the project is planned to start this year. Rising star Kyle Allen (“Rosaline”) plays the legendary hero, and Aaron and Adam Nee (“The Lost City”) direct.

While it’s arguably the most anticipated Mattel movie and a top priority for the studio, there are also character projects that few are likely to know about. The result is a feature film about the astronaut Major Matt Mason, who was equally popular in the 1960s. The character is best known today as the inspiration for Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story. Mattel itself is said to have been skeptical when screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (“I Am Legend”) pitched a Matt Mason film. But he had an ace up his sleeve that immediately convinced Mattel executives: Tom Hanks agreed to take the lead role.

Other prominent names already on board with planned Mattel movie adaptations include JJ Abrams, who is about to bring the legendary Hot Wheels toy cars to theaters, and Vin Diesel, who starred in the toy Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots , in which two plastic robots fighting each other should make a movie.

“Uno” as a movie? There are many quirky projects

Other toy brands that should be filmed are titles as diverse as the card game Uno, the Polly Pocket toy boxes or the View-Master image viewer. How that’s supposed to happen in any case is left to our imagination, but Mattel is serious about business after some of these projects have been simmering in other studios’ development hell for more than a decade.

The company took on everything again to continue with the implementation with Mattel Films itself. The agreements with partner studios should now contain very precise deadlines and thus a time frame in which the project should be carried out. Robbie Brenner, an accomplished Hollywood producer, is in charge. She has been working in the industry for over 20 years, for a long time she was responsible for new film productions at Miramax and then at FOX. Now she runs Mattel Films, so she’s kind of like Kevin Feige’s counterpart at Marvel. The fact that Mattel was able to sign her is considered a coup.

Don’t expect too many children’s movies from Mattel – there’s even horror

Brenner is also the main reason why the toy giant is now attracting prominent names. Above all, she wants to give filmmakers a lot of freedom. These should not primarily shoot Mattel commercials that better or re-sell the toy. In “Barbie”, for example, a series of excavations should take place at Mattel itself. Another aspect of Brenner’s approach is that the films are not necessarily made for the children who play or could play with things today. Many projects are mainly aimed at adults who may have grown up with it.

“Cocaine Bear” author Jimmy Warden has developed a horror comedy about the future-telling black billiard ball Magic 8 Ball. The only restriction is that you don’t make brutal R-rated movies for adults only, Brenner told the . The movie “Magic 8 Ball” will come close to this limit.

A cinema film about the purple dinosaur Barney, which is incredibly popular in the USA, is also considered a very special project – and it will certainly not be aimed at the children’s audience of the program “Barney and his friends” which is broadcasted in Germany on Super RTL . The film by and with “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya is a “surreal” project about a thirty-something who grew up with Barney and is reminiscent of the films of indie forge A24 as well as Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.

The future will show which and how many films will actually come out of the 45 planned projects. It is to be expected that, despite new deadlines in the contracts with partner studios and now more scrutiny, one or the other project falls by the wayside – especially if there is no success at the box office. After all, 32 movies have come out in MCU in the last 15 years, but some other titles never made it out of the planning stages.