Mattel is reportedly exploring the possibility of an animated Barbie movie with Illumination, aiming to develop a major new franchise.
According to a recent update from the Puck newsletter, Mattel has had discussions with Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri regarding a potential Barbie film. The details on the progress of these talks are unclear, but Mattel is hopeful that Illumination could replicate the success it achieved with the 2023 Super Mario Bros. movie, creating a hugely popular animated franchise.
What do we know about this animated Barbie project? The report also notes that while the live-action Barbie film was produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, Mattel retains the rights to animated adaptations. It is mentioned that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, who led the successful 2023 live-action film, are aware of the discussions about the animated movie and are reportedly not enthusiastic about the idea.
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach, was produced by Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerly through LuckyChap, along with Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner, Josey McNamara, and Ynon Kreiz. The film was a massive success, earning over $1.4 billion globally, making it the highest-grossing movie of 2023.
The film features a star-studded cast including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Kate McKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, and Dua Lipa. Its original soundtrack has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Song Written for Visual Media. Notably, Ryan Gosling received his first Grammy nomination for his song “I’m Just Ken.”
