Mattel Films
FormerlyMattel Playground Productions (2013–2016)
Company typeDivision
IndustryFilm production
PredecessorsRadnitz-Mattel Productions
HIT Movies
FoundedOctober 16, 2013; 10 years ago (2013-10-16) (as Mattel Playground Productions)
September 6, 2018; 5 years ago (2018-09-06) (as Mattel Films)
DefunctOctober 20, 2016; 7 years ago (2016-10-20) (as Mattel Playground Productions)
FateAbsorbed into Mattel Creations (as Mattel Playground Productions)
SuccessorMattel Television (television production)
Headquarters
El Segundo, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Robbie Brenner (Executive Producer)
  • Ivan Sanchez (Executive Producer, Creativity)
  • Kevin McKeon (Vice President)
ParentMattel

Mattel Films is the film production division of Mattel originally formed on October 16, 2013, as Mattel Playground Productions as part of Mattel Global Brands, a unified media structural and strategy unit.[1]

On March 31, 2016, Mattel placed the division within a newly created division at the time, Mattel Creations, absorbed its operations into it and, seven months later, made it defunct due to poor box office reception of the live-action film release of Max Steel.[2] On September 6, 2018, the division was revived and reformed as Mattel Films.[3]

History

A joint venture with Mattel and producer Robert B. Radnitz was launched in May 1970, which produced family films including Sounder, Where the Lilies Bloom,[4] and A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich.[5]

In March 2009, HIT Entertainment, prior to being acquired by Mattel in 2012, launched its HIT Movies division in Los Angeles with Julia Pistor as division head, to create films based on the company's franchises.[6] The division's first planned film adaptation was a live-action Thomas & Friends film, scheduled for late 2010.[7]

Former logo as Mattel Playground Productions

On October 26, 2013, Mattel launched Playground Productions (shortened as Mattel PGP or just PGP) as its in-house film studio to handle multimedia productions and foster creative storytelling for its brands for global multi-platform distribution.[8][9] Its first animated project was Team Hot Wheels: The Origin of Awesome!. Mattel had been developing a live-action Hot Wheels film at Legendary Entertainment and Universal Pictures, films featuring the Masters of the Universe and Barbie brands at Columbia Pictures, a Monster High film with Universal and a Max Steel film with Dolphin Entertainment. PGP was planned to set up three-year storytelling plans that incorporate every part of the company's core operations, from toy designers to consumer products and marketing.[8] David Voss, an acclaimed 20-year veteran in the toy and entertainment business, was appointed as the division's head and Senior Vice President.[8][10]

With WWE on March 17, 2014, Mattel PGP launched an online short form series, WWE Slam City, to go along with its dedicated toy line.[11] The series was picked up by Nicktoons' NickSports programming block from October 22, 2014.[12]

After Voss left the division in January 2016 for subscription service, Loot Crate,[13] Mattel placed PGP within Mattel Creations upon its formation along with its other two content production units: HIT Entertainment and the content creation team of American Girl at Middleton, Wisconsin.[14] After the critical and commercial failure of the live-action Max Steel film on October 20, 2016, Mattel Playground Productions was absorbed into Mattel Creations.[2]

Reformation as Mattel Films

On September 6, 2018, Mattel announced the launch of a film division, Mattel Films, that will make films based on the company's toy brands.[15] Outside Mattel, the division is widely recognized as the revival and replacement of Mattel PGP. Mattel Films with Academy Award-nominated film producer Robbie Brenner was appointed to head the division as executive producer and will report directly to Mattel's CEO, Ynon Kreiz.[3][16]

The division's first two projects were the Barbie and Masters of the Universe live-action films.[17] On January 7, 2019, it was announced that Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling would star in the Barbie film to be co-produced with Warner Bros. Pictures and Robbie's production company, LuckyChap Entertainment.[18] Barbie released in theaters worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 21, 2023, and to date has made over $1.4 billion at the global box office and became the #1 highest-grossing movie in Warner Bros. Pictures' 100-year history.[19]

With the Hot Wheels film rights option with Legendary Entertainment expired and reverted to Mattel, its film division shopped the property to Warner Bros. for a partnership on a film for the first time on January 29, 2019.[20][21] The company teamed up with Universal Pictures for the first time on July 16, 2020, on adaptation of Wishbone to film.[22]

On April 19, 2021, Mattel Films teamed up with Universal Pictures and Vin Diesel's One Race Films for a live-action film adaptation of the 1966-launched toy, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, starring Vin Diesel, a Barney film with Daniel Kaluuya, a Polly Pocket film with Lena Dunham and Lily Collins.[23][24][25]

On June 24, 2021, Mattel Films and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer agreed to work on a live-action film for Polly Pocket.[26][27]

On December 16, 2021, Mattel Films announced its first project based on outside intellectual property: Christmas Balloon, which is written by Gabriela Revilla Lugo. The film is intended to be based on the true story of a young girl who tried to send her Christmas message to Santa via a balloon.[28][29][30][31]

In July 2022, Mattel Films and Skydance announced the development of a live-action movie based on the Matchbox die-cast toy vehicles.[32][33]

Filmography

Mattel Playground Productions
Title Release date(s) Type Production
partner(s) 		Distributor Notes
Monster High October 20, 2013 – April 3, 2016[citation needed] 2D-animated shorts and web series Nerd Corps Entertainment YouTube
Monster High 2013–2016 CGI-animated films DHX Media Vancouver
Nerd Corps Entertainment 		Television:
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (Home video release) 		61–75 minutes[citation needed]
Barbie and the Secret Door October 16, 2014 CGI-animated film Rainmaker Entertainment Television:
  • Cartoon Network (Latin America)
  • Nickelodeon (U.S.; international)
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (Home video release)[34]
Team Hot Wheels June 7, 2014 Animated Mercury Filmworks
Titmouse, Inc. 		Digital platforms
YouTube
  • 22-minute origin story (Spring)[10]
  • 11 2-minute shorts (Summer)
  • 74-minute direct-to-video film (Autumn/Fall)
WWE Slam City March 17, 2014 Stop motion Stoopid Buddy Stoodios[12] Digital platforms[11]
Nicktoons[12] 		26-episode 2-minute shorts series[11]
Ever After High[35] May 30, 2013 – June 20, 2016 "Legacy Day" 15-minute special Guru Studio Netflix Fairy tale web series
"True Hearts Day" 22-minute webisode special
  • Nickelodeon (U.S.; international)
  • YouTube
  • EverAfterHigh.com
"Thronecoming" 44-minute television special
66 3-minute webisodes
Barbie in Princess Power March 3, 2015[36] CGI-animated film Rainmaker Entertainment Nickelodeon (U.S. broadcast)
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (Home video release)[37][38][39][40]
Barbie in Rock 'N Royals August 13, 2015[41]
Barbie & Her Sisters in The Great Puppy Adventure October 8, 2015[42]
Barbie: Spy Squad January 15, 2016[43]
Max Steel October 26, 2016[44] Live-action film Dolphin Films
Ingenious Media 		Open Road Films[10] Final production before the absorption of Mattel PGP into Mattel Creations.
As Mattel Films
Barbie July 21, 2023 Live-action film Heyday Films
LuckyChap Entertainment
NB/GG Pictures 		Warner Bros. Pictures First movie from the division to receive a PG-13 rating.
American Girl TBA Temple Hill Entertainment Paramount Pictures[45]
Untitled Barney film TBA 59% Productions
Valparaiso Pictures[46] 		TBA
Untitled Bob the Builder film TBA Animated film ShadowMachine
Nuyorican Productions 		TBA
Christmas Balloon TBA Live-action film Vital Pictures[48] TBA
Hot Wheels TBA Bad Robot Productions[49] Warner Bros. Pictures[21]
Magic 8 Ball[50][51] TBA TBA TBA
Major Matt Mason TBA Playtone
Weed Road Pictures 		Paramount Pictures[52]
Matchbox TBA Skydance Media[54] TBA
Polly Pocket TBA Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Good Thing Going[55] 		Amazon MGM Studios
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots TBA One Race Films Universal Pictures[56]
Thomas & Friends: The Movie TBA 2Dux2[57] TBA
Uno TBA Quality Films[58] TBA
View-Master TBA Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer[59] Amazon MGM Studios
Wishbone TBA TBA Universal Pictures[60]

See also

References

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