Mattel Creations

Mattel Television
is the television production division of American toy and entertainment company Mattel, originally founded on March 31, 2016 as the successor to Mattel's earlier entertainment division, ''Mattel Playground Productions'', under the name Mattel Creations.

It took on its current name with the hiring of former Disney Branded Television programming executive, Adam Bonnett, on February 5, 2019 and began gravitating heavily towards the production of streaming media for release on YouTube variants and Netflix whiles maintaining the television forays of its previous incarnation.

Background

Before the formation of ''Mattel Creations'', Mattel signed a pact with DHX Media (now ''WildBrain'') on 16 December 2015 to co-produce and co-distribute newer productions and episodes of existing television shows and web series based on Polly Pocket, Little People and HIT Entertainment brands ''Bob the Builder'' and ''Fireman Sam''. At MIPCOM 2015, HIT Entertainment itself, through its owner Mattel, announced its last partnership in its existence with 9 Story Media Group to revive/reboot ''Barney & Friends'' and '' Angelina Ballerina'' for distribution in 2017, but nothing was disclosed of in terms of green-lighting them since then.

History

Mattel formed a division called Mattel Creations on March 31, 2016, seeking to unify, centralize and revamp its entertainment business; it absorbed its main entertainment division at the time, Mattel Playground Productions, HIT Entertainment and the American Girl creative team in Middleton, Wisconsin on its launch. Mattel then appointed its then- chief content officer, Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, as its head and had HIT Entertainment president Christopher Keenan elevated or promoted to being its senior vice president overseeing development and production of productions from the division.

Mattel Creations signed an exclusive 7-year global subscription video on demand (SVOD) rights agreement with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for the ''Barbie'' film library on October 16, 2016, including the two films released at the time; '' Barbie: Star Light Adventure'' and ''Barbie: Video Game Hero''.

Catherine stepped down from her position and left Mattel on February 12, 2018 to take over as general manager of Craftsy, with Mattel's co-president and chief operating officer, Richard L. Dickson, adding the oversight of the division to his roles.

Mattel hired former Disney Branded Television programming executive Adam Bonnett as executive producer and head of a reorganized Mattel Television on February 5, 2019, which effectively replaced Mattel Creations. A week later, Mattel Television announced a proposition of twenty-two animated and live-action television programs. Former Saban Brands executive, Frederic Soulie, who was appointed as the senior vice president for content distribution and business development of the franchise management group division set up by Dickson and Ynon Kreiz, chairman and CEO of Mattel, to expand the company's entertainment business, was named senior vice president and general manager of Mattel Television.

On February 23, 2021, Mattel Television announced the return of the ''Monster High'' brand three years after its last production with an animated series and a live-action musical film, both of which aired on Nickelodeon and Paramount+ in the United States on October 6, 2022. On August 30, 2021, with the Universal deal expired, Mattel struck a deal with local home video releasing powerhouses, Mill Creek Entertainment and NCircle Entertainment, for the newer Netflix-based content for DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD distribution to the U.S. and Canadian markets.

On September 7, 2021, following the debut of the streaming television film '' Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams'' on Netflix, Mattel hired former NBCUniversal vice president of current programming, Philip "Phil" Breman, to be the vice president oversseing live-action scripted and unscripted series development. Following its global popularity and success, Mattel Television unveiled a 26-episode animated streaming television musical serial adaptation and continuation of the film on February 1, 2022 known as '' Barbie: It Takes Two''. The first half of episodes were released on Netflix in the U.S. on April 8, 2022 with the other half on October 1, with availability in other countries and territories reached 3 months after the American release. The series also aired on television in Australia, the UK and Ireland, Canada and Portugal.

On October 21, 2022, Mattel announced an agreement extension with Netflix that would make available the pre-2017 film catalogue previously held by Universal Pictures occasionally through the streaming service and the inaugural interactive "special" in the ''Barbie'' media franchise, '' Barbie: Epic Road Trip'', which released 4 days later. On October 25, 2022, Mattel capitalized on the audiovisual revival of ''Monster High'' by jointly announcing a sequel to the live-action film with Nickelodeon and Paramount+, which began production began the following year on February 7 and premiered on October 5, 2023.

On February 16, 2023, Mattel published through Google Drive its content slate portfolio for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years, including a revival of ''Fireman Sam'' and a makeover revival of '' Barney''. On March 7, 2023, NBC green-lighted a car makeover competition featuring Hot Wheels called '' Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge''.

On September 28, 2023, Netflix announced '' Hot Wheels Let's Race'', a new animated series adaptation of ''Hot Wheels'' which premiered on March 4, 2024. On November 16, 2023, Michelle Mendelovitz was hired to head the division.

In August 2024, Mattel Television announced that ''Hot Wheels: Let's Race!'' was renewed for a second season. The second season premiered in September 9, 2024.

On October 21, 2024, Mattel Television Studios announced that it would co-develop another television series in the ''Pingu'' franchise with Aardman Animations.

Filmography

Mattel Studios/Mattel Entertainment

HIT Entertainment

Lyrick Studios (1997-2001/02)

Gullane Entertainment (1989-2002)

Notes

References

{{Mattel
Mattel subsidiaries
American companies established in 2016
Television production companies of the United States
Entertainment companies based in California
Companies based in Burbank, California
Mass media companies established in 2016
2016 establishments in California
American animation studios