Mattel Launches Playground Productions to Toy With Exasperated Parents
If you have children or have been a babysitter anytime within the last two decades or so, you are probably familiar with the fine programming brought to you by the people at Mattel, based on the plastic toys hurled at your head by the screaming toddler child in front of the TV. Well get ready, because there’s so much more where that came from!
Mattel has started its own in-house studio, Playground Productions, in order to manage all of the creative projects it has going for its various franchises: Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High, Max Steel, He-Man and Masters of the Universe. This way, the company can retain creative control over how their toys will translate to film, TV, web series, direct-to-homevideo titles, and other forms of entertainment.
But here is their masterplan. In this new, golden era of Mattel filmmaking, they have embraced what they are calling “push to play” storytelling. Basically, when Susie sits down to watch Barbie Goes to the Sparklecastle: A Friendship Journey (there is a possibility this already exists), she will be implored by forces beyond her five year-old brain’s control to go out and buy that corresponding movie-edition Princess Barbie doll ‐ and now, Mommy. It’s genius.
It’s a smart move on Mattel’s part to take creative control of their properties; the company has already had major success with Barbie and Monster High movies and it’s a great way to reintroduce characters like He-Man to younger audiences.
Maybe this is also a way to get that Hot Wheels movie back into gear, so to speak? [Variety]
