Mattel And MGM Partner To Produce Live Action Motion Picture Based On Iconic American Girl® Brand
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM) have partnered to develop a live action motion picture based on Mattel's classic American Girl® line of books and dolls.
Mattel Films, MGM and PICTURESTART's Erik Feig will produce the film. Cassidy Lange, MGM's Co-President of Production and Robbie Brenner, Mattel Films' Executive Producer will oversee production.
American Girl characters were first introduced in 1986 and have since offered an inspiring world of dolls, original content, and experiences that nourish a girl's spirit and help develop her strength of character. Over 32 million American Girl dolls and 157 million American Girl books have been sold through the company's catalogue, retail stores and website to date. American Girl's popular character stories have previously been adapted into several successful films made for television and culminated in Picturehouse and New Line Cinema's feature adaptation of the Kit Kittredge character with Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, starring Abigail Breslin.
Ynon Kreiz, Mattel's Chairman and CEO said: "American Girl is a beloved, story-driven franchise lending itself perfectly to a feature film. In MGM and Erik we have world-class partners and we look forward to working with them to give our passionate American Girl fans of all ages another way to connect with this iconic brand. This is another example of Mattel continuing to execute on our strategy as we transform Mattel into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company."
"American Girl is a timeless and iconic brand that is part of the fabric of families all over the world. We look forward to working with our partners at Mattel and PICTURESTART to bring this cross-generational film to audiences all over the globe," said Jonathan Glickman, MGM's President, Motion Picture Group.
Mattel recently announced an upcoming Hot Wheels® live action motion picture and the Barbie® feature-film starring and co-produced by Academy Award®-nominated actress Margot Robbie, both in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures. Mattel has also partnered with Sony Pictures for a reimagining of Masters of the Universe, based on Mattel's beloved toy line which became a successful animated television program.
MGM recently released Steven Caple Jr.'s Creed II, starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, setting the record for highest grossing live action opener across Thanksgiving. Upcoming on the MGM film slate is Fighting With My Family, a comedy-drama written and directed by Stephen Merchant, based on the true personal story of WWE Superstar PaigeTM and her family of professional wrestlers, starring Florence Pugh, Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson, in New York and Los Angeles on February 14, 2019, expanding wide on February 22, 2019; The Hustle, a hilarious new comedy starring Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson, which will be released in theaters on May 10, 2019; the feature adaptation of Nicola Yoon's best-selling novel The Sun Is Also A Star with Warner Bros. Pictures, directed by Ry Russo-Young and starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton, in theaters on May 17, 2019; Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan's animated adaption of The Addams Family featuring the voices of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler and Allison Janney, in theaters on October 18, 2019; the 25th installment of EON Productions, MGM and Universal Pictures' James Bond film directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig which will be released theatrically in the U.S. on February 14, 2020; Legally Blonde 3 starring Reese Witherspoon in her return to the beloved character Elle Woods, is scheduled for release on May 8, 2020; and Candyman, a re-imagining of the 1992 horror classic, directed by Nia DaCosta and written and produced by Jordan Peele, in theaters on June 12, 2020.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global children's entertainment company that specializes in design and production of quality toys and consumer products. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic franchises, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, American Girl®, Fisher-Price®, Thomas & Friends® and MEGA®, as well as other popular brands that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 40 locations and sell products in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world's leading retail and technology companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in exploring the wonder of childhood and empowering kids to reach their full potential. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.
About Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Metro Goldwyn Mayer is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world's deepest libraries of premium film and television content. In addition, MGM has investments in numerous television channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
Media Contacts
Mattel
Dena Cook
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Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Kristine Karaca
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SOURCE Mattel, Inc.
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