Live-Action View-Master Film in Development from Mattel Films and Sony

Following the astronomical success of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Mattel and Sony are eyeing their next toy-related project: a film bringing the classic View-Master into the spotlight.

According to a statement from Mattel Films, the View-Master movie will be a live-action family adventure story. Escape Artists, the production company behind movies like The Pursuit of Happyness and Fences, is set to produce.

“View-Master has long been a window to the wonders of the world, sparking imagination in kids and adults alike,” said Todd Black, one of the Escape Artists producers on board. “Teaming up with Mattel Films gives us the chance to honor that legacy while creating an entirely new adventure for today’s audience. We can’t wait to bring this treasured toy’s sense of exploration to the big screen.”

2023’s Barbie, which starred Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, made over a billion dollars at the box office and was nominated for Best Picture. While it’s unlikely that director Greta Gerwig will pursue a sequel film anytime soon, Mattel had also been working on a potential Polly Pocket movie from Lena Dunham starring Lily Collins. However, Dunham has since dropped out of the project, leaving its status in limbo.

Elsewhere, a new movie centered on the American Girl Dolls is still in the works, while a “grounded and gritty” Hot Wheels movie from acclaimed director J.J. Abrams is also on the way.

Abrams isn’t the only director curious about exploring the dark side of beloved children’s properties; Mattel’s in-development Barney movie from Daniel Kaluuya has been described as an “A24-type” movie that will be “surrealistic” in the vein of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.