This year’s Barbie movie exceeded expectations, bringing in over $1.4 billion worldwide to become the biggest movie of 2023. Mattel Films president Robbie Brenner now says the movie is “a unicorn.”
“It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen, something most people have been a part of.” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Barbie was the first film for Mattel Films and set the bar very high going forward for the company looking to adapt its other film franchises. “All I can do is just focus on each project individually,” Brenner said.
Many are wondering if there will be a Barbie sequel or a Ken spin-off. Brenner knows people want to know more about the Barbie movie world, but there’s nothing to announce just yet.
“When you have something successful, how can you not talk about the sequel or what it is? But everyone is here right now enjoying the moment and enjoying the ride,” Brenner said.
Also in the interview, Brenner talked about how Mattel’s own management team, including CEO Yenon Craze, reacted to the movie’s jokes and mockery of the toy company.
“We all just had to get on board. Yenn has a great sense of humor, and I thought it was funny. A lot of boardrooms look like they have a lot of men in them because they do it. “Half of our board is women, but most of the company is predominantly men,” Brenner said. . If you don’t laugh at yourself, someone else will.”
Mattel properties now in various stages of development for movies include Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Masters of the Universe. Brenner said one of the first things he did was look at Mattel’s brands to see which ones would be best suited for a motion picture. “I identified 50 titles that I thought would be good for big theatrical and commercial films,” he said.
Brenner also hinted that there may be bigger plans for Avengers-style crossovers. “There’s so much crossover potential,” he said. “Barbie could certainly live with Hot Wheels and Matchbox and Major Matt Mason.”
Go to The Hollywood Reporter To read the full interview
