EXCLUSIVE: After seeing Wicked soar to 10 Oscar nominations and a worldwide gross exceeding $756 million, and with the back half of the two-part musical coming up for release in November, Jon M. Chu has inked a deal to direct a live-action Hot Wheels movie for Mattel and Warner Bros Pictures.
Juel Taylor & Tony Rettenmaier, a writer-director duo whose credits include Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone, have been tapped to pen the script, with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Chu’s Electric Somewhere producing. Robbie Brenner will produce for Mattel Studios alongside Chu, Abrams and Michael Bostick, with Arturo Thur de Koós overseeing for Mattel Studios. Sheila Walcott and Zach Hamby are overseeing for Warner Bros, along with Jon Cohen for Bad Robot and Jane Lee for Electric Somewhere.
Hot Wheels is billed as an action film, inspired by Mattel’s bestselling toy car line, which will showcase some of the world’s hottest and sleekest vehicles. Further plot details are under wraps. The project reunites Chu with Warner Bros and Bad Robot, amid their current work together on Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, an adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss story, which marks Bad Robot’s first theatrical animated feature.
In a statement to Deadline on today’s Hot Wheels news, Mattel Studios’ President and Chief Content Officer Brenner said: “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. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames. Paired with Juel and Tony’s compelling storytelling, this team is uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture.”
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Chu added: “Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it’s about imagination, connection and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I’m excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honors Hot Wheels’ legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new.”
A globally recognized brand of die-cast toy cars introduced in 1968, Hot Wheels was conceived by Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler as a cooler, more performance-oriented alternative to Matchbox cars, which dominated the die-cast market at the time. (Mattel went on to acquire that brand four decades after its introduction.) In addition to selling more than 8 billion vehicles worldwide, the brand has proved its influence in automotive and pop culture over the years via collaborations with global leaders in automotive, streetwear, fashion, luxury, entertainment, gaming, action sports and motorsports.
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Bad Robot announced its partnership with Mattel and Warner Bros on the Hot Wheels movie in 2022. In his own statement today, producer Abrams said: “We already felt incredibly lucky to collaborate with Mattel on this special film. Having Jon, Juel and Tony come aboard takes our excitement to a whole new level.”
Added Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros. Pictures’ President of Development and Production: “Jon is a visionary director and an incredible partner to Warner Bros. We are thrilled to have him join us, along with the talented writing duo of Juel and Tony. With our collaborators at Bad Robot and Mattel Studios, we can’t wait to bring Hot Wheels to life on the big screen.”
Last November, the first half of Chu’s two-part adaptation of the Tony-winning musical Wicked broke out as a cultural phenomenon, becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in domestic box office history. For his work on the film, Chu was named the year’s Best Director by the Critics Choice Awards and the National Board of Review. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in the musical, whose second installment, Wicked: For Good, is slated for release on November 21.
Chu has teamed with co-director Jill Culton on Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, featuring songs by La La Land‘s Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, which is dated for release on March 17, 2028. Recently, he also lined up Split Fiction starring Sydney Sweeney, an adaptation of the video game for Amazon MGM Studios. Also known for work on films like In the Heights and Crazy Rich Asians, the filmmaker is represented by Artists First, UTA, and Goodman Genow Schenkman.
Recently combining its film and TV units under the banner of Mattel Studios, as we were first to report, Mattel has also recently announced feature adaptations of the toy brands Whac-A-Mole and View-Master. They’re also developing projects based on IP including American Girl, Bob the Builder, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO and Wishbone.
Hot Wheels scribes Taylor and Rettenmaier are repped by WME, Redefine, The Gotham Group & Darren Trattner at Jackoway Tyerman.