From the toy shelf to the big screen: Barbie to star in live-action movie that sees her playing 'a modern-day Mary Poppins'
- Mattel has joined forced with Sony on the film, which is expected to go into production by the end of the year
Barbie is set to make her transition from the toy shelf to the big screen in a new live-action movie.
According to Deadline, Mattel and Sony have teamed up on a movie starring the iconic doll, which is expected to go into production by the end of this year.
The film will reportedly allow Barbie 'to use her personal and professional skills to step into the lives of others and improve them, almost like a modern-day Mary Poppins'.
In a Barbie world: Barbie is set to make her transition from the toy shelf to the big screen in a new live-action movie produced by Sony, which is expected to go into production by the end of the year
Mattel and Sony announced on Wednesday that the movie will be written by What a Girl Wants writer Jenny Bicks and produced by Walter F Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, the husband-and-wife team behind Men in Black 3.
A big part of the appeal of the film, says studio chief Amy Pascal, is that it will focus on Barbie not only as a plaything for current youngsters, but also as a source of nostalgia for older generations that grew up with the doll.
It is also expected to emphasize the doll as a symbol of female empowerment.
Tim Kilpin, Mattel’s EVP of Global Brands, said of the project: 'Barbie has entertained children and inspired their imagination and creativity for more than 50 years.
'Now is the right time in Barbie's celebrated history for her to star in a live-action, contemporary comedy that brings her playful personality to life for generations of fans.'
'Now is the right time in Barbie's celebrated history for her to star in a contemporary comedy'
A source told the Hollywood Reporter that the plot will 'team Barbie with an overworked bureaucrat looking for an assistant. A contemporary buddy comedy ensues.'
This isn't the first collaboration between Mattel and Sony; the companies are also currently developing a film adaptation of Masters of the Universe.
Toy-inspired movies are certainly having a moment this year. February saw the release of the Lego Movie, starring Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks as the voices of some of the toys.
The 3D film was a commercial blockbuster, raking in more than $441million worldwide, which made it the highest-grossing movie of 2014 so far. A sequel is expected to be released in the summer of 2017.
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