My inner child is screaming after hearing about Skydance Media and Mattel’s plans for a live-action Matchbox Cars movie. Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars were a significant part of my childhood playtime, and the thought of bringing the iconic toy line to the silver screen has me excited. The Matchbox Cars project is the 15th feature production Mattel has in the works after American Girl, Barney, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock’ Em Sock’ Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO, View-Master, Wishbone, the Christmas Balloon, and Barbie. No one’s childhood is safe from Big Hollywood, folks. You might as well join me aboard the hype train and get comfortable.
“For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has carried enormous cultural relevance and inspired generations of kids to unleash their imaginations, combining what they see in the world every day with what they dream their own world to be,” said Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer of Mattel Films. “We look forward to working with our incredible partners at Skydance Media to craft a story for the big screen that evokes the same, imaginative spirit of this beloved Mattel franchise and delights fans of all ages.”
Same imaginative spirit, eh? Will you turn ordinary books into wicked ramps? Are the cars in your movie capable of flight using imaginary wings? I hope so and that this isn’t an attempt to take up the torch from the Fast & Furious franchise. There are enough of those. Let’s see something inventive and new.
“We are thrilled to be working with Robbie Brenner and her amazing creative team at Mattel,” said Don Granger, President, Feature Films of Skydance. “Pairing Skydance’s unique brand of premium, elevated action-adventure entertainment with the incredible legacy of the Matchbox brand is a fantastic opportunity. There is a shared experience for everyone who has played with a Matchbox vehicle or playset, where they create their own inventive action sequence and we’re excited to craft a worldwide adventure film worthy of such imagination.”
It’s time for a history lesson! Matchbox was invented in 1953 by automotive expert and enthusiast Jack Odell, who was asked to solve a problem for his daughter. She was allowed to bring any toy to school as long as it fits inside a matchbox. After showing off her father’s miniature invention to school, kids coveted the item and wanted one of their own. As the Matchbox toy line grew, Mattel began to diversify the makes and models of cars in the collection.
VP Elizabeth Bassin and Creative Executive Andrew Scannell will lead the Matchbox project. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Aimee Rivera, and Granger will oversee for Skydance Media. The screenplay will be written by David Coggeshall, who wrote the upcoming horror film Orphan: First Kill for Paramount.
What do you think about Skydance Media and Mattel joining forces for a Matchbox Car movie? What kind of plot will keep the imaginative nature of the toy intact? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.