"It’s a very broad and very elastic brand, in terms of opportunities": Mattel CEO reveals plans for Barbie sequel and other toy-based films

With Barbie's resounding success since its recent release, it doesn't come as a surprise that Mattel plans on continuing down this path of making films based on toys. Shortly after the premiere of the Greta Gerwig film Mattel has now announced plans to make other toy-based films including a live-action Barney, Polly Pocket, and Hot Wheels, among others. It is worth mentioning that the Greta Gerwig film has managed to make an astonishing $380 million in its first 5 days.

Additionally, Barbie's success with critics has probed consideration about the universe viewers have seen in the Margot Robbie starrer. There are also plans for the development of multiple sequels to the film, as revealed by CEO Ynon Kreiz in an exclusive interview with Variety.

He said that as a brand Barbie has multiple iterations and that the doll's product lines are a very "broad brand." He added that apart from the main Barbie figure, the doll, she has a family and elements in her universe, which he said was a "very rich universe."

"It’s a very broad and very elastic brand, in terms of opportunities," Kreiz added.

So, in all likelihood, the creators will continue looking for opportunities to milk this Greta Gerwig film in the future, and it may lead to an entire cinematic universe from Mattel.

---

"Everybody hopes that when you create a movie that there is going to be a franchise"- Robbie Brenner on the future of Barbie

While Greta Gerwig has admitted that this was it for her (for now, at least), the executives are planning ahead already. Apart from Ynon Kreiz, Robbie Brenner, the Oscar-nominated producer who runs Mattel Films, opened up about their aim of creating a universe around the hit film.

"Everybody hopes that when you create a movie that there is going to be a franchise...That’s the hope — that it goes on and on and it’s a gift that keeps giving," he noted.

However, he added that in this day and age, all they wanted was to get the first one right.

In present-day Hollywood, this is a common occurrence and almost all the popular films are slowly delving into the franchise culture. This ends up filling the entertainment space more densely than ever before.

Ynon Kreiz further elaborated his point while speaking to Variety, saying that they weren't thinking of the second and third films at the outset. He noted that they were focused on getting the first one right and making it a success.

"And if you do that, opportunities open up very quickly, once you establish the first movie as a successful representation of a franchise on the big screen...Successful movies lend themselves to more movies...Our ambition is to create film franchises." Ynon added.

While this ambition may not sit well with fans at the moment, it will also not stop big corporations like Mattel and WB from creating more content on the existing success of one.

Anyhow, Barbie sequels are still just part of the plans. However, the other Mattel films will be arriving much sooner, with Barney most likely the next one in the franchise. Barney is set to represent the cartoon dinosaur in a much more realistic way and would reportedly resemble a surrealistic A24 production.

Barbie is currently playing in theatres.