Mattel's American Girl Movie: A New Chapter in Doll Cinema

The Legacy of American Girl

Mattel is officially moving forward with an American Girl movie. Even before Barbie was released in theaters on July 21, Mattel was already developing many more movies based on their beloved toy brands, including Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox, Major Matt Mason, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, and more. The American Girl line started during the late 1980s featuring dolls that represent different periods of American history, such as the 19th-century farm girl Kirsten, the turn-of-the-century Samantha, and the World War II-era Molly. Now, following Barbie's $1.4 billion success, Mattel is officially developing its next doll movie, though it's not Barbie 2. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mattell is moving forward with an American Girl movie at Paramount Pictures and Temple Hill, the latter being the studio behind Maze Runner and Twilight. Lindsey Anderson Beer, who recently directed Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, is set to write the script, and shared the following statement: Growing up, my sister and I were American Girl girls. I had Kirsten, and she had Molly. They didn’t feel like dolls to play with, rather real people whose worlds we got to imagine ourselves in. They are historically accurate toys and accessories that feature elaborate and immersive backstories uniquely suited to bring to screen.

American Girl dolls

The American Girl line has a rich history, representing different periods of American history through its dolls. The dolls are not just playthings; they are historically accurate and offer immersive backstories that allow children to imagine themselves in different worlds. With its unique approach to storytelling, the American Girl movie has the potential to resonate with audiences and bring a new chapter in doll cinema.

The Potential of American Girl Movie

Will Mattel's American Girl Movie Match Barbie's Billion-Dollar Success? Before Warner Bros.' Barbie was released, though it was already clear it would be a big success, a report revealed that Mattel already had 45 more movies in development based on their toys. Of those many projects in development, only about a dozen have been publicly announced, including a Hot Wheels movie produced by J.J. Abrams and a Barney movie produced by Daniel Kaluuya. While these projects are in development at different studios, Mattel is overseeing them all and with their Barbie movie becoming a big box office hit, any one of them has a chance to become equally successful. An American Girl movie is a suitable successor to Barbie since it can also use dolls as characters and touch on similar themes, such as gender roles and social change. However, Mattel's many projects, including the American Girl movie, need to learn the right lessons from Barbie. While Barbie is a beloved brand, what made the movie a massive success was its acclaimed director Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach, who gave the film a distinct voice, and its lead stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who gave memorable performances. Beer might not be the best choice for the American Girl movie since her directorial debut, Pet Semetary: Bloodlines, was sent straight to streaming and panned by critics, though it remains to be seen how she handles the Mattel property.

The American Girl movie has the potential to succeed by using dolls as characters and exploring themes like gender roles and social change. However, it must also learn from the success of Barbie and ensure that it has the right creative team and talent to bring its unique story to life.

Learning from Barbie's Success

Mattel's many projects, including the American Girl movie, need to learn the right lessons from Barbie. While Barbie is a beloved brand, what made the movie a massive success was its acclaimed director Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach, who gave the film a distinct voice, and its lead stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who gave memorable performances. Beer might not be the best choice for the American Girl movie since her directorial debut, Pet Semetary: Bloodlines, was sent straight to streaming and panned by critics, though it remains to be seen how she handles the Mattel property.

The success of Barbie's movie was attributed to its acclaimed director, distinct voice, and memorable performances by lead stars. Mattel's American Girl movie must take note of these key factors and ensure that it has the right creative team and talent to bring its unique story to life.