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This article was originally published on July 21.
We are recirculating it now timed toBarbies streaming debut on Max.
When Robbie Brenner arrived at Mattel in 2018,Barbiewas dead.
Brenners first task as head of Mattels new film division was to resuscitateBarbieandinaugurate a booming slateof I.P.-driven adaptations.
Seven years later, she has a list of 45 properties being cultivated for the big screen.
So thats important for her journey.
Before Mattel, you had a robust career at Miramax and Relativity.
I was hired by Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz, whos an amazing thinker and spirit.
It feels honest, it feels real.
I entered in August.
The rights had reverted back to Mattel, so we started with a clean slate.
In 2001, Mattel releasedBarbie in the Nutcrackeron VHS and DVD.
It did bananas business 3.4 million unitsin less than a year.
Everyone knows who Barbie is.
But in terms of actual stories, thats a narrative that has to be created.
I grew up playing with Barbie.
She showed me a picture of her and Barbie from when she was really, really little.
She and Noah did a fantastic job of unlocking the story and surpassing my goals for it.
We had conversations about what the movie should be and who we should talk to.
Those conversations went on for a while, and we rolled around in different ideas.
Margot had a relationship with Greta, and she brought Greta up.
We were all like, Yeah, of course.
I mean, thats the dream.
She reached out to Greta, who said she wanted to write it with Noah Baumbach.
At that point, Tom, Margot, and I met with Noah and Greta in New York.
It was a very relaxed, informal meeting.
They talked very loosely about ideas, and that was the leaping-off point.
So it was Gretas idea to enlist Noah?Yeah.
I think Margot approached Greta, and I think Greta and Noah probably talked about it.
I wasnt part of those conversations between the two of them, but theyve collaborated on other things.
He did writeMadagascar 3.
He has the movies that he writes and directs, but he writes other things as well.
The two of them together have references for everything.
Theyve seen every movie, and theyre just so well studied.
We just couldnt be concerned with that.
We were starting a new Mattel.
We made a conscious decision to say that we were going to start from the beginning.
At one point,Patty Jenkinswas in the mix.
How did that evolve?It was before Greta stepped into the picture.
Obviously she directedWonder Woman, a female-empowerment film.
Interestingly enough, the first script that they turned in is pretty similar to the movie that youll see.
The movie is fairly adult, or at least its been successful in piquing adults interest.
Obviously you want to reach as wide of an audience as possible.
I mean, she wants to win more than anybody.
She wants to talk through everything to see to it it works.
How do you balance those things?We all held hands.
Do we feel comfortable with these things?
Everybody willingly supported Greta.
It pokes fun of itself, and I think thats what good movies do.
You have to be able to laugh at yourself a little bit.
We want to support our filmmakers.
I dont think that you might treat a creative process like an algorithm.
We cant be thinking about the franchise until we get the first movie right.
Lets be bold, lets be brave.
Thats when he knew it was something he should do.
That always resonated with me.
You have to take risks.
I think this movie does that, and hopefully were gonna have many, many more to come.
You cant win every time, but we will try.
You could certainly have other toys in aHot Wheelsmovie.
Our bench is so deep, and we have so many brands to play with.
But I think right now, were just focused on making great movies.
Whats your position onBarbenheimer, the bigBarbie-Oppenheimershowdown?
Christopher Nolan is a fantastic filmmaker.
Im sure the movie is unbelievable.
Have you paid attention to the memes and memorabilia?
I think its fantastic.
I think its great for our business.
People just want to be happy in the world.
It feels like were emerging out of the darkness and into a pink sky.
I think people will be surprised by this movie.
