It’s no secret that Mattel laughed all the way to the bank last year thanks to the humongous box office success of director Greta Gerwig and actor Margot Robbie’s Barbie movie. While some of its success could be credited to the cinematic phenomenon known as Barbenheimer, Mattel—like any self-respecting company that sees no ceiling to the potential financial success of repeating a past idea—was soon back at work trying to decide which toy to turn into a movie next. Lo and behold, the bigwigs have finally arrived at their answer: the View-Master. No, we’re not kidding.
According to Variety, Mattel is officially working on a live-action film about its 1940s-era 3D stereoscopic toy in collaboration with Sony Pictures and Escape Artists (the folks behind The Equalizer 3 and Mattel’s long-delayed live-action Masters of the Universe Amazon film). This next sentence would typically be the place were we’d write about noteworthy directors, writers, and actors tasked with breathing life into this expensive advertisement of a film, but there’s are none as of time of publication. It’s just View-Master. Same as it ever was.
Be that as it may, the View-Master movie’s current lack of enticing names attached to it hasn’t hampered Mattel Films president Robbie Brenner and Escape Artist producer Todd Black’s excitement.
“View-Master has inspired generations to embark on boundless adventures, offering a treasure trove of storytelling possibilities for this film,” Brenner said. “We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Escape Artists’ Todd Black to bring this Mattel franchise to life. Their creative and filmmaking expertise sets the stage to introduce a modern take on this beloved toy to audiences everywhere.”
“View-Master has long been a window to the wonders of the world, sparking imagination in kids and adults alike,” Black echoed. “Teaming up with Robbie Brenner and Mattel Films gives us the chance to honor that legacy while creating an entirely new adventure for today’s audience. We can’t wait to bring this treasured toy’s sense of exploration to the big screen.”
While the View-Master movie isn’t the most enticing title to announce ahead of New York Comic Con, Mattel does have other projects down the pipeline that are more exciting and have names attached to them. Key among them include a Hot Wheels movie with director J.J. Abrams attached; a live-action Barney movie starring Nope and Get Out‘s Daniel Kaluuya; a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots movie with Vin Diesel; and an Uno-inspired “action heist movie” involving rapper Lil Yachty.
For Mattel’s sake, here’s hoping any combination of these disparate projects bring in beaucoup bucks like Barbie did. Who do you think should star in the View-Master movie?
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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