After he leaves Oz, “Wicked” filmmaker Jon M. Chu is putting the pedal to the metal. He is set to direct a live-action “Hot Wheels” movie for Warner Bros.
Based on the Mattel toy, the high-octane action film will showcase “some of the world’s hottest and sleekest vehicles,” according to a press release. Plot details haven’t been revealed. But ever since “Barbie” captured the zeitgeist and grossed a mammoth $1.44 billion, Mattel has been mining all kinds of children’s toys for the big screen. Film versions of Barney, Polly Pocket, the card game Uno and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots are currently in the works.
“Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it’s about imagination, connection, and the thrill of play,” Chu said in a statement. “Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I’m excited to […] create an adventure that honors Hot Wheels’ legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new.”
Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, who partnered on “Creed II” and Netflix’s “They Cloned Tyrone,” will pen the screenplay with J.J. Abrams’ company Bad Robot Productions and Chu’s Electric Somewhere serving as producers.
Mattel Studios president and chief content officer Robbie Brenner described the filmmaking team as “uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture.”
“Jon’s ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life,” Brenner said. “His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames.”
Chu has previously teamed with Warner Bros. on “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.” He recently shepherded the Broadway smash “Wicked: Part One” to more than $700 million at the global box office in addition to 10 Oscar nominations with the second half, “Wicked: For Good,” scheduled to land in November. Chu has attached his name to dozens of film projects at the moment, including a Play Doh animated adventure, a Britney Spears biopic, an adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” and another stage-to-screen musical in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
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From Variety US