Hey, it worked for Barbie.
Mattel‘s next feature film based on a doll will be a live-action, theatrical Monster High movie written and produced by Akiva Goldsman and distributed by Universal Pictures. The gist of the Monster High fashion-doll line is that they are the children of iconic monsters, like Frankie Stein (the daughter of Frankenstein’s monster and his bride), Draculaura (the daughter of Dracula), and Clawdeen Wolf (the daughter of a werewolf mom and a human dad).
Goldsman’s banner Weed Road will produce the film. Goldsman, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of “A Beautiful Mind,” is also a producer on Mattel Films’ upcoming Major Matt Mason movie starring Tom Hanks. (Either way, Major Matt Mason is NOT a doll — it’s an action figure, dammit!) The announcement of that toy adaptation, which is set up at Paramount Pictures, preceded “Barbie.”
Kevin McKeon and Arturo Thur De Koos will oversee the Monster High movie for Mattel; Greg Lessans has oversight for Weed Road. Universal Pictures’ SVP of Production Lexi Barta and Creative Executive of Production Development Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the project for the studio.
The Monster High dolls already had a Nickelodeon TV series. The toy line was first introduced in 2010.
“Monster High helps fans discover the great beauty in being true to yourself and celebrates the unique sensibilities at the core of who we are as individuals,” Robbie Brenner, the president of Mattel Films, said in a press statement. “We’re proud to partner with Universal Pictures and the brilliant Akiva Goldsman to usher this important message to audiences worldwide.”
Brenner will also produce the Monster High movie.
“I’ve been fascinated by Monster High since my daughters were obsessed with the dolls as kids,” Goldsman said. “I’m thrilled to once again join forces with Robbie Brenner and our friends at Mattel to help bring this iconic property to life.”
Goldsman has also written “Cinderella Man” and was the showrunner on “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” He produced “Paranormal Activity” and will produce the upcoming sequels to “Constantine” and “I Am Legend.”
Other Mattel feature films in the works are adaptations of American Girl, Barney, Hot Wheels, Bob the Builder, Magic 8 Ball, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO, View-Master, and Wishbone.
So, yeah, pretty much every piece of IP it owns. It’s a bit less insane-sounding when you recall “Barbie” made nearly $1.5 billion at the global box office — the most since “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2020) — and was even nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.
Goldsman is represented by CAA, TFC Management, and Hansen Jacobsen Teller.
