After countless animated direct-to-video features, Mattel’s perennially best-selling doll Barbie is getting her own live action feature. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures and Mattel along with production company Parkes+MacDonald ImageNation are putting together the team for the new live action comedy.
With a script written by Jenny Bicks, the film will be produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald with Marc Resteghini and Julie Pistor serving as executive producers.
The story is supposedly a buddy pic that teams Barbie up with an overworked executive looking for an assistant. Barbie’s many iterations over the years (she’s been everything from movie star to mermaid) will mostly likely be comedically referenced in the film.
Hanna Minghella, president of production for Columbia Pictures, stated:
“We’ve always thought that the Barbie story had great potential, but a universe of possibilities opened up when Jenny, Walter and Laurie brought us their unexpected, clever and truly funny concept. It captures everything that has made Barbie a classic for generation after generation while also standing on its own, establishing Barbie as a truly original screen character. We’re confident that Barbie will delight audiences, no matter where her adventures take her.”
The new Barbie feature marks the second film collaboration between Mattel and Sony Pictures. They are currently developing a new feature film adaptation of Mattel’s popular Masters of the Universe toy line featuring He-Man, She-Ra, Skeletor, et al.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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