Ridiculous Dolls That Will Probably Get Movies Because Of Barbie
Pink rules! Well, at least in Barbie Land it does. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie have touched upon something unexpected – a hit Barbie movie that is both fun and entertaining while very self-aware and emotional. The big question now is if Gerwig will follow this massive hit with a sequel. We think there is even one bigger question to be asked – which doll comes next?
When a doll that has been around for 64 years has sold countless dolls in that time, already has had numerous animated films made about her, and now a feature film that has crossed the billion-dollar mark at the box office, you can rest assure other toymakers and film producers are looking to cash in.
As Barbiemania continues to rule the country and worldwide box offices, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the other dolls that just may get their time to shine, as they attempt to follow in the pink footsteps Barbie laid down for them.
You may find yourself saying “Really?” to some of the ridiculous suggestions, but you may emphasize that even more when you also find out how many of these ideas are already in motion at production studios.
Barbie-Induced Doll Movies
Polly Pocket
Mattel is hoping that lightning strikes twice. This time around, they are taking one of their other popular dolls and turning the micro-doll line of Polly Pocket into a live-action film.
Lena Dunham is writing and directing the film for MGM and Mattel and already has Lily Collins lined up to play the minuscule doll.
Both Dunham and Collins remarked on how Polly Pocket provided countless hours of entertainment for them as kids with Collins admitting she was “obsessed” with Polly Pocket.
LOL Surprise!
Why not, we say. LOL Surprise dolls have been on the scene for a few years now and remain quite popular with the young ones. LOL Surprise dolls come in many different shapes, styles, and genres that surely could offer numerous storylines for audiences.
Bratz
We’ve seen this before in live-action form, so why not one more time? The film was released in 2007 and starred Nathalia Ramos, Skyler Shaye, Logan Browning, and Janel Parrish as Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha, and Jade, the popular Bratz dolls. If they could do it then, they can certainly do it now. Don’t be shocked if it doesn’t happen sooner rather than later.
American Girl
You may be questioning this one, so bear with us. Yes, American Girl has already seen 14 films that featured the popular doll (most going direct-to-video), including Kit Kitteridge: An American Girl feature that starred Abigail Breslin.
But that film was released in 2008 and the public has not seen an American Girl movie in six years. It was announced back in 2019 that an updated film was in the works though not much has been heard about it since. You can expect that to change with the success of the Barbie movie.
Chatty Cathy/Betsy Wetsy
Wait, what? A Chatty Cathy/Betsy Wetsy movie? Yes! Back in 2022, Jason Bateman’s production company, Aggregate Films, said they were putting a film together based on those two popular dolls.
If you didn’t know, Chatty Cathy was actually invented by Barbie creator, Ruth Handler, back in 1959, so this could be considered a no-brainer. Betsy Wetsy actually came to life decades earlier in 1934. She is a doll that would tinkle after you fed her.
Raggedy Ann and Andy
Before Raggedy Ann and Andy became the popular dolls we all know and love, they were part of the Raggedy Ann Stories, a series of books created by author Johnny Gruelle. This makes the two perfect for film adaptations as there are plenty of stories that can serve as inspiration.
Furby
Come on. How can you not want to see a feature-length film about a creature that appears to be a cross between an owl and a hamster? The Furby was released in 1998 and for a couple of years, it was the must-have toy doll. We can see this being the new Gremlins of the 2020s.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
This one is not so out there as there have been many animated iterations of He-Man plus a live-action film from 1987 that starred Dolph Lundgren as the titular hero. A new film has been talked about and even gone into pre-production as it had been set up to be a Netflix vehicle, but the project has since died. Now that Barbie has taken over the globe, perhaps He-Man will find his way back to the big screen.
Major Matt Mason
Major Matt Mason might be one action figure doll that is unfamiliar to most. His line of action figures was released in 1966 when space exploration was in its infancy and very popular. Tom Hanks has been attached for a number of years to the project, said to be starring in the title role. According to the New Yorker, Disney’s Buzz Lightyear was inspired by the Major Matt Mason doll, which as we all know, Tom Hanks starred as Buzz’s pal Woody.
The Others
If the above doesn’t cut it for you, we have a few other non-doll films in various stages of production. In fact, Mattel claims they have 45 films in development, though only 17 have been announced that they were being made. Surely a few of these are going to create a WTF moment for some.
The first on Mattel’s list is Hot Wheels. This one shouldn’t come as a shocker as J.J. Abrams has been talking about bringing Hot Wheels to the big screen for some time now. He plans on going gritty with his rendition.
One more doll up for a feature film adaptation is Big Jim. Inspired by G.I. Joe, he was a line of action figures in the mid-70s that included Big Josh, Big Jack, and Big Jeff. No doubt it would be a “big” movie if it ever came to be.
How about the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots? It was said back in 2021 that none other than Vin Diesel was circling the project, looking to not only produce but also star. Reports say that Rampage writer Ryan Engle is penning the script that will follow an advanced war machine that bonds with a father and son.
We are surprised that we have not seen a live-action version of Thomas the Tank Engine already. The very popular toy is said to be getting a feature film treatment with director Marc Forster taking charge. Of course, Forster is no stranger to taking a children’s franchise and turning it into a live-action piece. He did this with the 2018 film, Christopher Robin.
Two more Mattel properties that appear to somehow be going in front of the camera soon – Magic 8 Ball and Uno. Mattel has been trying for 2 decades to get Magic 8 Ball into a live-action film and now they apparently have made strides in making it happen. The film will obviously have a horror slant to it, but more of a horror comedy along the lines of Disney’s Haunted Mansion.
Uno, on the other hand, is said to be set up as a heist-caper film set in the hip-hop scene of Atlanta. Marcy Kelly wrote the script, and it is said that rapper Lil Yachty is being courted for the lead role.
See what you started, Barbie?
