Popular toy companies Hasbro and Mattel have put pen to paper on a new deal that will see both companies manufacture toys and games that carry the other company’s brand. Hasbro and Mattel are taking this unprecedented step ahead of the theatrical releases centered around two of their iconic creations Barbie and Transformers.
The Hollywood Reporter was the first to break this news. The publication revealed that Hasbro, owner of the Transformers line of toys, will manufacture Monopoly games that carry the Barbie brand to launch this fall. On the other end, Mattel, owners of the Barbie line, will manufacture Transformers-branded UNO card games that will arrive later this year, as well as Transformers-branded Hot Wheels vehicles that will launch early next year.
Hasbro and Mattel are taking this step to jumpstart their merchandise and licensing sales following the hit both took as a result of the pandemic and the supply chain issues it engendered. They will be hoping that the Transformers and Barbie movies drive demand for their products and usher in a new era of success for their companies.
Casey Collins, Mattel’s President of Global Licensed Consumer Products and Business Development revealed as much. In his statement, he wrote, “With the major theatrical releases of the Transformers and Barbie movies in summer 2023, we’re excited to bring brand-new play experiences to fans, families, and movie and toy lovers all around the world.”
Nick Karamanos, Mattel’s Senior VP of Entertainment Partnerships, released a statement of his own where he declared the company’s excitement to “pair some of the most popular brands together for the first time.” He continued “This collaboration features world-class IP, celebrates the timeless appeal of these brands, and creates unique play opportunities for fans.”
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is slated for release on June 9 while Barbie will arrive over a month later on July 21.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will star Anthony Ramos, Tobe Nwigwe, Lauren Velez, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Pete Davidson, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Ron Perlman, among others. The film is directed by Steven Caple Jr. and based on a screenplay by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Joby Harold, Josh Peters, and Darnell Metayer. Michael Bay, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, and others produce
Meanwhile, Barbie will feature Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the titular character and Ken, respectively. The film will also star Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Dua Lipa, Sharon Rooney, and Hari Nef, among others as different iterations of the titular character while Scott Evans, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Ncuti Gatwa will star as other variations of Ken. Barbie will be directed by Greta Gerwig and based on a screenplay she co-wrote with her partner Noah Baumbach. David Heyman, Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie, and Robbie Brenner produce.
