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Credit: Inside the MagicMargot Robbie‘s Barbie (2023) is almost in theaters and fans are excited to see this new take on the iconic toy brand, but that’s only the beginning for the franchise.
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45 movies are in development under Mattel, the company that owns Barbie and dozens of other toy brands. A Barney movie is in early development with JJ Abrams and other directors also taking a spin on an iconic toy and bringing it to life. For Greta Gerwig, Barbie was about more than just a simple doll. The movie’s marketing makes it clear that Barbie isn’t about selling toys but telling a compelling story with the brand. Gerwig or Robbie doesn’t care if the audience loves or hates Barbie dolls because that’s not the point and with a star-studded cast, fans are intrigued.
Ryan Gosling as Ken is enough for some fans and the antagonist will be none other than Will Ferrel. The movie will be the first significant step for Mattel, but it will be only the beginning. According to The New Yorker, the company has 45 films in development with all of them tied to an iconic toy brand/childhood memory. Not all of the projects have been announced, but Mattel shared a few titles of what’s in development: American Girl, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Matchbox, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Uno, and View-Master.
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While Mattel might be challenging Disney with a new form of entertainment that appears to reach all ages, it’s hard to say if the company will actually turn this new wave of movies into a cinematic universe like what Kevin Feige’s Marvel Studios did. Marvel doesn’t even have 45 films released in theaters and that’s after releasing a few every year for the past decade.
It’s a considerable investment and honestly, it’s hard to believe that all of them will make it to the big screen, but Mattel believes that if Barbie is a box office smash, they have to put all their chips into developing these movies. It wouldn’t be hard to include references to other toy brands in the movies and lightly connect all of the movies, but with the current landscape for film, Mattel’s vision might be a few years late as the box office hasn’t been kind to several recent movies. Pixar, Dreamworks, and DC Studios are losing millions due to movies underperforming.
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If Mattel planned to spend the next 15 years making movies, that would be 3 movies a year, and there’s a good chance that while Barbie might attract an audience, other brands might not be able to pull their weight since a film about Uno leaves fans with no idea about what to be excited for.
Barbie releases in theaters on July 21, 2023.
Do you think Mattel will actually release 45 movies after Barbie? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!