Credit: Inside the MagicJJ Abrams isn’t backing down from his new project, which will end up being a new installment to a new franchise possibly set in the universe as Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023).
Margot Robbie as Barbie has taken over the internet. Sure, you have Ryan Gosling as Ken, and other actors and actresses portraying Barbie and Ken, but the movie is about more than just the dolls. It’s a story about finding yourself, and while it’s done with a toy brand, JJ Abrams wants to do the same thing but with a different IP.
Barbie is almost in theaters, and even though it’s competing with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023), reports claim that Barbie might be a big box-office success this summer. Many fans are excited to see the intriguing movie, and Mattel, the company that owns the iconic toy brand, is banking on the fact people want more stories told about other iconic toys. This is why the company has around 45 films in development, with JJ Abrams working on one.
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Abrams is well-known for directing two of the Sequel Trilogy movies and fans were not happy with how the trilogy was handled. To this day, Disney is still recovering from the creative decisions that Abrams and Rian Johnson made. While the trilogy didn’t go as planned, Abrams left the franchise to find new ventures elsewhere.
Star Wars is making a comeback and is even continuing the story left by Abrams with Daisy Ridley’s new movie about the Jedi Order 15 years after Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019). The Mandalorian, Andor, and other Disney+ projects have helped fans fall back in love with the franchise after what Abrams did in the Sequel Trilogy with Johnson.
Related: Four Years Later, ‘Star Wars’ Is Changing Disney’s Sequel Trilogy
Now, he is in charge of a Hot Wheels movie aimed at telling a different story than fans would expect. According to The New Yorker, Abrams is taking his time writing a script that will tell a more grounded, emotional story about the car toys:
“For a long time, we were talking to Mattel about Hot Wheels, and we couldn’t quite find the thing that clicked, that made it worthy of what Hot Wheels—that title—deserved,” he said. “Then we came up with something . . . emotional and grounded and gritty.”
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This story might not be what fans expect and leaves the film’s story entirely open-ended. Most Hot Wheels fans might scratch their heads imagining how Abrams could make a heartfelt story about the IP that won’t be ridiculous and absurdly funny like what Barbie looks to be.
After Star Wars, it’s clear that Abrams does whatever he wants when working with an IP, and there’s a good chance that his movie could be another box office failure due to how much movies are currently struggling. It’s not an easy time to make movies, and this might just be the final straw for some seeing another movie by the director.
Do you think the Hot Wheels movie will be good? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!