Another legacy doll brand is in line to try and replicate Barbie’s success on the big screen.
Mattel Films, Paramount Pictures and LA’s Temple Hill Entertainment (Twilight) are teaming up to develop and produce American Girl, based on Mattel’s same-name evergreen doll brand.
The American Girl line was originally launched in 1986 by The Pleasant Company, which was acquired by Mattel in 1998 for US$700 million. More than 32 million of the 18-inch dolls representing preteen girls with various backgrounds and interests have sold worldwide to date, and the brand has also expanded into video games, a podcast, live stage shows and a digital series.
Writer/director Lindsey Anderson Beer (the screenwriter behind 2018 teen rom-com Sierra Burgess is a Loser for Netflix) is on board to produce and pen a script for the upcoming film, which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
While no plot details are available yet, Beer notes that the pic will explore common girlhood issues—which the American Girl IP is well-positioned to tackle. “They are historically accurate toys and accessories that feature elaborate and immersive backstories uniquely suited to bring to screen.”
This new film notably replaces a previously announced American Girl movie on Mattel’s slate that was initially planned in 2019 with MGM as a partner.
The American Girl brand is no stranger to screen adaptations. Its first live-action film, Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, aired on The WB in 2004. And it has since been followed by numerous made-for-TV movies, straight-to-video releases and the feature film Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which had a US theatrical run in 2008 and grossed US$17 million against a US$10-million budget.
Building on the momentum behind this year’s top-grosser Barbie, Mattel Films has 14 live-action movies in development based on top kids brands like Hot Wheels and Barney, as well as another feature called Christmas Balloon that’s based on an original IP.
Image courtesy of American Girl.