It’s no secret that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s enormous box office triumph with their Barbie film last year made Mattel laugh all the way to the bank. While a portion of its success may have been due to the phenomena known as Barbenheimer in the movies, Mattel was immediately back at work attempting to determine which toy to make into a film, like any respectable corporation that believes there is no limit to the possible financial success of duplicating a former invention. Suddenly, influential people have discovered the solution: the View-Master. We are not joking.
Under the trademark View-Master, a range of special-format stereoscopes and matching View-Master “reels”—thin cardboard disks holding seven pairs of small, transparent, color, stereoscopic photos on film—are sold. Sawyer’s was the company that first produced and marketed it.
Four years after Kodachrome color film was developed and made it feasible to employ compact, high-quality photographic color images, the View-Master system was unveiled in 1939. View-Master’s early reel lists were dominated by travel and tourist attraction views, with the majority of them intended to appeal to a wide age range of users. Today’s View-Master reels are mainly meant for younger audiences.
Variety reports that Mattel is officially collaborating with Sony Pictures and Escape Artists (the production companies behind The Equalizer 3 and Mattel’s much-delayed live-action Masters of the Universe Amazon feature) on a live-action movie based on the company’s 1940s 3D stereoscopic toy. Typically, we would write about notable directors, writers, and performers entrusted with giving this pricey movie advertisement life in the next phase. Still, as of the time of publication, none have been mentioned. All it is is View-Master, the same as it has always been.
Nevertheless, Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Films, and Todd Black, producer of Escape Artist, are still excited about the View-Master film even though it currently hasn’t got any intriguing names associated with it.
“View-Master has inspired generations to embark on boundless adventures, offering a treasure trove of storytelling possibilities for this film,” Brenner stated, “We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Escape Artists’ Todd Black to bring this Mattel franchise to life. Their creative and filmmaking expertise sets the stage to introduce a modern take on this beloved toy to audiences everywhere.”
“View-Master has long been a window to the wonders of the world, sparking imagination in kids and adults alike,” Black agreed. “Teaming up with Robbie Brenner and 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.”
Although the View-Master film isn’t the most intriguing project to reveal ahead of New York Comic Con, Mattel has other exciting projects with names attached. Important ones include a live-action Barney film starring Daniel Kaluuya from Get Out and Nope, a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots film starring Vin Diesel, and an Uno-inspired “action heist movie” with rapper Lil Yachty. Director J.J. Abrams is tied to the Hot Wheels project.
I hope Mattel can make a lot of money from any combination of these unrelated initiatives, just like Barbie did. Who do you believe ought to be the lead in the View-Master film?
Are you looking forward to a View-Master movie?
[Via Variety]