Feb 18, 2019

Mattel Announces Plans for 22 TV Productions

As part of its efforts to expand its franchise as an entertainment brand, toymaker Mattel has announced plans to develop 22 animated and live-action television shows based on its toy lines and characters.

The company will develop the programming through Mattel Television, an in-house division focused on producing episodic content for multiplatform distribution. In a press release, Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz said the company will focus on series production to meet the growing demand for content due to the "proliferation of broadcast and streaming platforms."

Mattel's episode production will be led by Adam Bonnett, a 21-year veteran of the Disney Channel who was hired as an executive producer earlier this month. Bonnette previously served as executive vice president of original programming for Disney Channel Worldwide at Disney, where he oversaw shows such as "Hannah Montana," "Descendants," and "Kim Possible." [Bonet will work with Christopher Keenan, vice president and executive producer of Mattel Television. Keenan has been responsible for the development and production of Mattel-owned animated content, including Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engine, American Girl, Monster High, Bob the Builder, and Fisher Price's Little People.

The nearly 20 shows target a wide range of audiences, including toddlers and preschoolers, boys, girls, teens, tweens, and families, and encompass a wide variety of genres, including action adventure, humor, game shows, and music.

Mattel's extensive episodic plans are part of a strategic effort to catch up with toy industry competitors such as Hasbro and Lego, who are already doing extensive world building on their properties. As Mattel CEO Kreitz explained, "It is another important step in fully leveraging the value of our assets as we drive our transformation to become an IP-driven, high-performing toy company"

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Mattel also launched Mattel Films last year, a division headed by film producer Robbie Brenner. The priority project for this theatrical division is a live-action Barbie movie, which has gone through a number of writers and stars over the past six months of development. Last month, it was announced that the project had moved from Sony to Warner Bros. and that Margot Robbie will star in the film (Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway were set to star in the title role). Robbie will also co-produce the film.

(Pictured above: "Barbie: Spy Squad") [15]