Studios tell toy stories
Action figures, board games tapped as pics
The output of Hollywood studios may soon resemble a living room of unwrapped Christmas gifts.
Studios are about to embark on a flurry of projects based on popular toy brands, ranging from action figures to board games to
Hot Wheels. It's a trend that has sent Hasbro, Mattel and other toymakers searching through their vaults to license their most prized properties.
Across town,
Universal brokered an even bigger deal: An overall pact with Hasbro to turn Monopoly, Ouija, Battleship and Candy Land into pics.
Toy rival Mattel hopes its film projects will not only strike a chord with audiences at the megaplex, but also send toys flying off store shelves.
The
El Segundo, Calif.-based toymaker has several projects in development around town, based on new and archived brands, including:
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Set up at Warner Bros., Joel Silver is spearheading the live action version of the '80s action figures, scripted by Justin Marks, who's penned bigscreen versions of "Voltron," "Green Arrow" and "Street Fighter." It's finalizing a deal with a director.
- Hot Wheels: Also at WB, the actioner will feature the toy line's cars in a pic also to be produced by Silver from a script by Matt Nix (USA's "Burn Notice"). The project was once at Sony with McG at the helm before being put into turnaround after pics like "Stealth" crashed and burned.
- Barbie: A live action film will revolve around the iconic doll, with several filmmakers in contention to start development on the pic.
There also are plans to revive the Magic 8-Ball, which was once in development at U as a romantic comedy with
Tom Shadyac, and for a film version of 1960s action figures Major
Matt Mason and the Men in Space.
