Mattel and Warner Bros. are preparing for a new toy-based franchise, with the director of “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good,” Jon M. Chu, taking charge of a live-action “Hot Wheels” movie. The film will be inspired by the famous die-cast toy cars, with J.J. Abrams (of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) producing via his Bad Robot banner. Mattel Films, responsible for the $1.4 billion-grossing “Barbie” movie and the upcoming “Masters of the Universe,” are teaming up with Warner Bros. Pictures again following the success of their Margot Robbie-starring “Barbie,” which was the biggest movie of 2023. The news was first reported by Deadline.
The movie titled “Hot Wheels” is marketed as an action film, drawing inspiration from Mattel’s popular toy car line. It promises to exhibit some of the most stylish and fast cars from around the world. As for the scriptwriting, it is being handled by the talented duo Juel Taylor (from “Creed II”) and Tony Rettenmaier (from “Space Jam: A New Legacy”), known for their work on “They Cloned Tyrone”.
In a statement, Robbie Brenner, President of Mattel Studios and Chief Content Officer, praised Jon’s talent for creating intricate, perspectively unique worlds, making him an ideal choice to bring the Hot Wheels universe to life. He added that Jon’s films are not just visually stunning, but also skillfully incorporate captivating narratives within those beautiful scenes. Combined with the storytelling prowess of Juel and Tony, this team is exceptionally suited to encapsulate the emotion, excitement, and essence of Hot Wheels, a renowned brand in automotive culture.
Chu stated, “Hot Wheels has always been about more than just speed; it’s about sparking creativity, fostering connections, and igniting the joy of play. Collaborating with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Bad Robot to translate this essence onto the big screen is a remarkable chance. I am thrilled about this partnership, as we embark on crafting an adventure that respects Hot Wheels’ history while propelling it into uncharted territories.
Warner Bros. has been developing a movie based on Hot Wheels since 2019. In 2020, the studio assigned the scriptwriting duties to Neil Widener & Gavin James, who were previously involved in creating a Minecraft film. More recently, Dalton Leeb & Nicholas Jacobson-Larson, known for setting up sci-fi projects at Netflix and Amblin, joined the project when the Hot Wheels movie underwent a refresh in 2023.
In a statement, Abrams expressed his delight about the collaboration with Mattel for this unique film, stating that having Jon Favreau, Juel Taylor, and Tony Rettenmaier join the team has heightened his anticipation even more. Jesse Ehrman, President of Development and Production at Warner Bros. Pictures, added, “Jon is an innovative director and a fantastic fit for Warner Bros. We’re ecstatic to have him on board, along with the gifted writing duo Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier. With our partners at Bad Robot and Mattel Studios, we eagerly look forward to bringing Hot Wheels to life on the big screen.
Mattel, the toy company, has several movie projects in development, with one of them being “Hot Wheels”. Apart from that, Mattel is also working on a vehicle-themed film based on John Cena and “Matchbox” cars, which will be directed by Sam Hargrave for Apple Studios and Skydance. There’s a live-action version of “Thomas & Friends”, a Daniel Kaluuya-produced “Barney” movie for A24, a live-action “American Girl” for Paramount, an animated “Bob the Builder” movie with Anthony Ramos as the voice, set up at Amazon MGM Studios. Another project is a live-action version of “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots” starring and produced by Vin Diesel via his One Race Films. Lastly, there’s a live-action “Monster High” movie in progress at Universal. Additionally, Chu’s Electric Somewhere production company is shaping the animated “Play-Doh” movie for Hasbro.
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In a statement made back in 2019, Ynon Kreiz, Mattel’s Chairman and CEO, expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Warner Bros. Pictures to create a live-action Hot Wheels movie. He explained that Mattel Films is gaining traction as they work towards their goal of offering fresh experiences for audiences worldwide, aiming to reinvent Mattel into a powerful, brand-centric toy company driven by intellectual properties. At the same time, Toby Emmerich, then the head of Warner Bros., expressed his excitement about bringing the fun, adventure, and adrenaline of Hot Wheels to the big screen, as this iconic brand has been sparking creativity in children for over half a century.
Back in the groovy ’68, I got my hands on some slick Hot Wheels die-casts, designed to outshine and outperform their competition when it came to toy cars. Fast forward over five decades, and these babies are still reigning supreme as the world’s #1 selling toy, as confirmed by a 2021 study conducted by NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service.
According to Mattel, the toy brand focuses on innovating automotive design and delivering top-tier performance, all while fostering creativity that stems from a competitive garage mentality.
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2025-07-07 20:11