Barbie Maker Mattel Taps Disney Veteran to Write Live-Action View-Master Movie
Disney hitmaker Phil Johnston has been tapped to script Mattel’s live-action View-Master for Sony and Escape Artists, revving up an 86-year-old 3D toy for the big screen.
Yep, the View-Master is getting a movie. Because of course it is. But here’s the interesting part: the script is coming from Phil Johnston, the guy who co-wrote Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Zootopia. That makes this less of a random toy adaptation and more of a real swing from Mattel and Sony.
What this project actually is
Mattel Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Escape Artists are developing a live-action feature based on the 86-year-old 3D image toy. If you ever clicked through those cardboard reels as a kid, that’s the thing: a handheld stereoscopic viewer that shows 3D images, one click at a time. The brand spent decades partnering with studios on special reels tied to movies and TV shows, which is partly why it stuck around as one of the most recognizable visual toys of the 20th century.
This also continues Mattel’s post-Barbie push into live-action. Not exactly shocking given how Barbie performed, but View-Master is a quirky pick — in a good way — because it’s more about imagination than characters or lore. Which puts a lot on the writer.
Who’s making it
- Writer: Phil Johnston (co-writer of Wreck-It Ralph and Ralph Breaks the Internet — both Oscar nominees for Best Animated Feature in 2013 and 2019 — plus Zootopia)
- Studios: Mattel Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, with Escape Artists involved
- Oversight at Mattel Studios: Tom McNulty (Senior Executive, Film) and Arturo Thur de Koós
- Producers: Robbie Brenner, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and others
The vibe from the team
McNulty is framing View-Master as a small device that opens big worlds and is clearly happy to have Johnston steering the reimagining. He called Johnston one of the most soulful and inventive storytellers working, which tracks with the resume.
"I want to bring the wonder I felt as a bowl-haired kid in the 80s to the big screen now, and working with Mattel, Sony and Escape Artists is giving me the chance to do just that."
What we know (and don’t)
Plot details? None yet. Director? Not announced. But if you’re going to turn a click-through 3D viewer into a movie, hiring a writer who’s made heartfelt, funny world-building work for Disney is a smart start. At minimum, this has a better shot at being charming than you might expect from a toy-to-film logline.