Mattel Developing 22 Multi-Platform Television Shows

Mattel, the longstanding toy brand of Barbie and Hot Wheels, announced today a slate of 22 animated and live-action TV programs based on it's properties.

"With the proliferation of broadcasting and streaming platforms, there is a growing demand for high-quality content driven by global brands," said Mattel chairman & CEO Ynon Kreiz. "Mattel is the owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children's and family entertainment franchises in the world. We have countless opportunities to bring these brands to their fans through episodic programming that will capture the imaginations of kids and families worldwide. This marks another important step to capture to the full value of our assets as we drive our transformation to become an IP-driven, high-performing toy company."

While Mattel did not disclose what titles or brands it currently has in development, they will cover a wide array of genres such as humor, game shows, music, action adventure and more. The shows will be developed with multi-platform distribution in mind and a mix of animated shows and live-action for various age groups. With Hot Wheels, Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Monsters High among its roster of properties, Mattel is looking to diversify it's entertainment brand.

On the film side, Mattel did just get the ball rolling again on it's Masters of the Universe project over at Sony. Sony has been working on bringing Masters of the Universe back to the big screen since taking over the film rights in 2009. They recently brought on Aaron and Adam Neem as directors to replace McG who left the project in 2017. The film is expected to start shooting this July in Prauge.

Mattel also has a Hot Wheels movie in development in a partnership with Warner Brothers.

"We are excited to bring the thrill of a Hot Wheels live-action feature film to the big screen in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures," said Kreiz in a statement last month. "Mattel Films has great momentum as it continues to execute on our commitment to bring global audiences new ways to experience the brands they love as we transform Mattel into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company."

What do you think? Is now the right time for all of these toy brands to get put back into the spotlight? let us know in the comments below.

(via THR)