In an unexpected departure, Michelle Mendelovitz has left her post as head of Mattel Television Studios after just nine months at the toy giant.

Mattel recruited Mendelovitz in November 2023 to succeed Fred Soulie in heading up its TV content business, coming off a lucrative entertainment summer during which Barbie generated US$1.4 billion in ticket sales at the global box office. 

Mendelovitz was charged with overseeing the development, production and distribution of small-screen content leveraging Mattel’s roster of IPs—one example being Barney’s World, a CG-animated revival of the classic live-actioner about a friendly purple dino that will roll out later this year on Max and Cartoon Network. Fantasy series Masters of the Universe: Revolution (January) and Hot Wheels Let’s Race (March, with season two dropping on September 9) also debuted on Netflix during Mendelovitz’s tenure.

To support this growing content slate, the TV arm installed three execs in April who were reporting to Mendelovitz—Sidney Clifton (head of creative for animation), Cory Bennett Lewis (head of production) and Amy Suh (head of creative for live action, scripted and unscripted). 

Prior to joining Mattel, Mendelovitz worked at companies including Hiddenlight Productions, Disney’s 20th Television Studios, Apple TV+ and Sony Pictures Television.

Her vacant position at the toyco will be backfilled for the time being, according to Deadline.