Because it rolls out new animated sequence “Barney’s World” on Max and Cartoon Community and prepares a live-action “Barney” film with Daniel Kaluuya, Mattel can be driving into dwell motion non-pre faculty premium TV sequence to develop its manufacturers and properties, Josh Silverman, Mattel’s chief franchise officer, introduced on Sunday at his MipJunior management keynote at Cannes, entitled Past the Toybox: Shaping the Way forward for Play.
Silverman additionally confirmed the Netflix launch date of “Thomas & Pals: The Christmas Letter Specific” one-hour vacation particular as Nov. 21 within the U.S. World launches can be made throughout a bouquet of broadcast and streaming platforms together with Milkshake! on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. within the U.Ok. and Cartoonito in Italy.
“We at all times completed a very nice job on the youngsters animation facet. We’ve had some some nice choices on the unscripted facet,” Silverman informed Selection.
“One space that we’re actually seeking to double down in as we transfer ahead right here – and we’ll actually share extra over the approaching months – is our concentrate on growing and creating actually prime quality, premium scripted dwell motion content material. That’s been an space that we haven’t actually stepped in and threw beforehand, at the very least in a significant manner,” he added.
At MipJunior Silverman additionally drilled down on Mattel’s playbook, taking in 4 ideas: Model suggest, consumer-centric innovation, cultural relevance – “We’re timeless and well timed,” he famous – and a franchise mindset.
“Barney’s World” is simply the tip of the iceberg. “One of many issues that struck me once I joined Mattel was the unbelievable breadth and depth of our mental property, our portfolio. We’ve got unbelievable manufacturers and franchises, characters and tales which might be like multi-generational and common iconic, 99%, 100% consciousness. And so we now have unbelievable toy field toys to play with,” Silverman mentioned at Cannes.
He additionally broke down Mattel’s dramatic enlargement into movie and TV, with 14 movies in improvement and 14 TV titles in 2024, with 13 in manufacturing and 35 in improvement.
In its intensive protection of Mattel, Selection has drilled down on Mattel’s movie primarily based on the “American Woman” doll line, with “Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” screenwriter Lindsey Anderson Beer on board and a launch of a big-budget adaptation of “Masters of the Universe” with Amazon MGM Studios in June 2026, “Lacking Hyperlink’s” Travis Night time directing.
Skydance Media, Apple Authentic Movies and Mattel are set to develop a “Matchbox” live-action movement image, starring John Cena, directed by Sam Hargrave.
A live-action ‘View-Grasp’ film, primarily based on a 3D picture toy from Mattel, in additionally within the works.
Silverman highlighted 9 Mattel titles at Cannes by way of a display show: “Barney’s World,” “Polly Pocket Adventures in Rio,” “Thomas & Pals: All Engines Go,” “Scorching Wheels,” “Barbie Mysteries: The Nice Horse Chase,” “Monsters of the Universe: Revolution,” “Monster Excessive,” “Scrabble” and “Pictionary.”
Mattel will announce a brand new property on Monday, Silverman teased.
Mattel’s cutting-edge to leisure cuts varied methods. “Barney’s World” is a present for this Zeitgeist, within the dino’s message of affection for oneself and others, Silverman argued.
“It’s at its core about love, self-love, care, consideration, compassion, friendship. That is authentically Barney. The world we dwell in, as everyone knows, is a really sophisticated world. It at all times has been. And this can be a actually odd, form of trustworthy interpretation of great academic components and emotions for pre-schoolers to have the ability to specific that love and that compassion and that kindness, however in an entertaining and musical manner,” Silverman mentioned on stage at MipJunior.
One in all its recurring characters, Mel, aged 6, is multiracial from Korean and Mexican heritage, speaks three languages, and likes to share her tradition together with her buddies.
“I’ll use the phrase authenticity. The workforce has actually developed with Barbie because the model goal, the model goal of being inclusive, um, and actually a mirrored image of the world and the communities that we dwell and function in,” Silverman mentioned.
“Thomas & Pals: The Christmas Letter Specific”is made in colourful 2D animation with Corus Leisure’s Nelvana. In it, Percy the mail engine discovers a toddler’s letter to Santa Claus forgotten on the backside of his mail cart on Christmas Eve; he’s decided to verify the letter is delivered.
On Nov. 21, the particular can be out there to stream within the US, Canada, Greece, Spain, Benelux, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan
In 2025 it should grow to be out there in extra markets together with the UK, Latin America, Italy, France, Poland and Turkey, in keeping with experiences.
Mattel can be celebrating its eightieth anniversary subsequent 12 months. “We’ll be doing a extremely nice model marketing campaign. We’re actually pleased with our continued evolution as an organization as a excessive performing toy firm, and we’re actually proud about that,” mentioned Silverman. “There’s so many unbelievable components, their tactile nature of toys, the toyetic components, the globally iconic manufacturers and franchises and characters and tales that actually resonate with our audiences that are multigenerational and common. We’ve got an unbelievable toy field to play with,” he added.
“Evolution forward as a excessive performing toy firm is to develop leisure choices and transfer into actually being an IP firm crossing all dimensions of our enterprise to essentially simply join with our followers,” Silverman mentioned.
