Mattel’s Phil Breman

Mattel, whose Barbie fashion dolls inspired the box-office smash hit of 2023, has been growing its content slate across all genres. In particular, though, the toymaker has doubled down on its presence in the live-action space. Phil Breman, head of live-action development, is leading the charge in this area. He tells TV Kids about creating co-viewing experiences the whole family can enjoy together.

TV KIDS: What has led Mattel to ramp up its activity in the live-action space?
BREMAN: Coming out of the pandemic, families seemed to rediscover “family time” and the joy of spending time together—especially when it comes to sharing entertainment choices. However, much of the live-action content that has come out recently isn’t really something the entire family can enjoy together. Considering much of our IP speaks to a wide variety of age groups, we felt we had an opportunity to generate ideas and concepts in the live-action space that would appeal to the whole family—a true “co-viewing” experience for kids and parents.

TV KIDS: What is guiding the current live-action strategy?
BREMAN: Much like the overall Mattel brand, our strategy begins and ends with bringing the family together. We are so fortunate to have such a robust collection of beloved IPs that are also multigenerational. So, we take great care to create ideas that will appeal to both young and old. And since so many of our brands have such a dedicated and international fandom, we try to create concepts that generate new and exciting interpretations while staying true to their origins. Our live-action releases Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge and Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge are great examples of this, where audiences experienced very familiar brands in a whole new way. Our brands are some of the most recognizable names in entertainment, so being able to present audiences with the opportunity to embrace our content in new and exciting ways is at the forefront of our current and future live-action efforts.

TV KIDS: What are some of the factors you consider when evaluating a brand for a live-action screen adaptation?
BREMAN: We don’t approach our content through a strict animation versus live-action lens; rather, we look to see which medium would serve the IP best. Each brand, whether it’s Hot Wheels, [Masters of the Universe] or Barbie, is full of endless potential for both animated and live-action content, and many of our most iconic brands have been both at one point or another. When deciding between live action or animated, it really boils down to what medium we think the core audience of the brand will respond to best and how that strategy serves our characters and our stories most thoughtfully.

TV KIDS: What are some of the core franchises leading the way for Mattel in live action?
BREMAN: Our live-action slate is the strongest it’s ever been. Both Hot Wheels and Barbie really shined this summer with the debut season of Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge on NBC and Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge on HGTV. We have Pictionary in its second season on FOX and CBS stations, as well as our second Monster High live-action movie, which debuted this fall on Nickelodeon and Paramount+. Each of these IPs brings something special to audiences and are exemplary pillars of our live-action efforts.

TV KIDS: What’s next for Mattel’s live-action side of the business?
BREMAN: Mattel is full of amazing properties that appeal to an array of diverse audiences, and I can see a range of live-action adaptations that present a new, creative iteration of each of our IPs. While we are not in a place to pull the curtain back quite yet, we do have some exciting projects in the works, and we’re excited for fans to experience these IPs in a whole new and exciting way. Stay tuned!