Universal and Mattel Toy With the Idea of Musical Monsters
Steve Barton
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As Hasbro continues to rack up movie deals based on its toy and game properties (coming soon to a theater near you: Monopoly, Candyland, Battleship, and Ouija), Mattel has decided that it wants in on that lucrative movie money. Mattel has a new monster-themed toy line on the way. Universal is currently high on musicals after the success of Mamma Mia! Sounds like a match made in heaven.
According to Variety “Mattel has become aggressive about developing its intellectual properties for film and TV, but this is the first time the toymaker has made a deal for a property it has yet to launch, or even publicly disclose. Mattel would not reveal the name of the toy line or when it will launch, saying only that the property aspires to add a fresh twist to monster lore.”
And the motion picture based on this top secret line of yet-to-be-released monster toys will be a … musical? Craig Zadan and Neil Muron, producers behind Chicago and the upcoming remake of Footloose, have already hired Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the composers behind the musical version of Hairspray, to pen an original score?
“(Universal and Mattel) gave Zadan and Meron a demonstration of the toy line and its mythology, and the producers said they signed on quickly and brought in Shaiman and Wittman, whose deals are being negotiated. A writer will be hired shortly, they said.”
Zadan goes on to say that he and Meron have been seeking an original movie musical franchise all their own for years now, and this may be it. “It really has long-term potential, and it will spin the monster genre on its ear“.
Or make them bleed.
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