Toy company Mattel has a slew of TV and movie productions in the works. Since the summer blockbusters hit in 2023 Barbie Since the news, the company has been working on how to profit from other assets. This leads to the upcoming Barney Movies to star in No and black panther Star Daniel Kaluuyaand the new animated Max series returning this week barney’s world.
The company is also developing a movie based on the American Girl doll series and releasing a big-budget adaptation master of the universe Next June with Amazon-MGM Studios.
barney’s worldPremiering Monday on Max and set to be released linearly on Cartoon Network on October 18, here’s how Mattel TV and Movie Group is working overtime to retain Millennials, Gen Z and preschool consumers (who prefer and these consumers).
Mattel Chief Franchise Officer Josh Silverman sat down with Variety to talk about the upcoming projects, starting with the Barney Show reboot:
Barney is undoubtedly one of our early diamond discoveries in the rough. We realize that “Barney” has a very passionate group of fans. Gen Z and Millennials, who grew up with the show, have an uncanny connection. To this day, you can even whistle a song from “Barney” and people will be like, Oh my gosh, I knew that. That emotion is really, really important. These sensory memories, especially for Gen Z and Millennials, take you back to a wonderful time in your childhood where these stories were so resonant and so important. Many fans are now parents, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to relaunch the series. Our insights into “Barney,” and certainly the numerous conversations we had with our fans, showed us the opportunity to really connect with our audience through what we call “journalistic nostalgia.” It refers to something new for the younger generation (i.e. preschoolers), but also to those who grew up with it. Their ability to do this together is truly unique.
He went on to talk about other new projects, including master of the universe Movie:
I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight my excitement for Masters of the Universe. Talk about world building; June 26th is going to be an incredible day. We’re very excited about Travis Knight directing and we’ve already announced some of the cast, Nicholas Galitzin. As we continue to increase the intensity, we’re definitely going to turn up the volume a little bit. We want to continue to expand our iconic IP, sometimes relaunching it, like Barney, or leveraging and telling new stories that might go in any different direction.
When asked if the new American Girl Doll movie will be the next BarbieSilverman said:
We treat all of our intellectual property rights in some discrete way, and we want to tell those stories and engage with them in a way that makes sense to our fans, so it’s not a contrast or a comparison. We really want to invest in and love this IP and make sure we give fans something they expect, but also something they don’t expect. I think that’s a real strength for us, is to look around, anticipate needs, and create whimsy that breaks the box, surprises, and delights. When it comes to American Girl, it’s a pioneer in experiential retail. In my opinion it was the first and still the best. Mattel does a lot of work on live experiences, locations, entertainment, experiences. But the real article, the initiator, was American Girl. Audience ages range from 0 to 99 years old. You can develop movies, develop some TV content through a lot of elements that go into the story.
The toy company definitely has a lot going for it, and luckily, it sounds like there’s something for everyone. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming projects and let us know what Mattel properties you’re most excited to see more of.
via: Variety
