For years now there’s been talk about making a movie based on the popular toy brand, Hot Wheels, but it’s never gotten past the starting line. However now Variety reports that Legendary Pictures is in early talks to pick up the screen rights to the property and try to get a movie made. As they’re currently one of the biggest poeerhouse production outfits in Hollywood – having backed the likes of Chris Nolan’s Batman flicks, The Hangover, Clash Of The Titans, Watchmen and Inception – it may be the place that can finally get Hot Wheels made.
The idea of a film apparently started in 2003, with Sony wanting to make a movie with McG directing. That obviously didn’t happen, but producer Joel Silver jumped on the idea a few years later. His planned film apparently got so close that Mattel was already designing tie-in toys. However after Silver’s other car-based movie, Speed Racer, flopped, the idea was shelved. Since then numerous producers, such as Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers) and Joe Roth (Alice In Wonderland) have sniffed around, but Mattel decided to go Legendary, due to their strong record for pop culture flicks, as well as the fact they’re based at Warner, a studio Mattel has previously worked with.
The new idea is not to make a movie aimed at the kids who buy Hot Wheels cars, but instead to create something a bit edgier that’ll attract those who flocked to watch Fast Five. It’s probably a good plan, as kids action is notoriously tricky to pull off at the box office, especially without the magic and mystery of something like Harry Potter. Making something that’s appeal to adults (especially with the nostalgia for the long-lived Hot Wheels brand built in) and which will appear cool and bit more grown-up for youngsters, is actually a pretty smart move.
No director or talent is attached to the movie yet, and seeing as they’re basically just starting with some cars (after all, Hot Wheels isn’t exactly strong on plot), there’s a lot of work to do to turn it into a fully-functioning film.