Buckle up — Hot Wheels is racing toward the big screen. Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures have officially announced that acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu will direct the upcoming live-action Hot Wheels movie. Known for vibrant, visually driven hits like Wicked, In the Heights, and Crazy Rich Asians, Chu brings his signature style to the iconic toy car brand.
The script will be written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier. Taylor co-wrote the screenplays for Creed II and Space Jam: A New Legacy. He directed and co-wrote They Cloned Tyrone with Rettenmaier. Production is a powerhouse collaboration between Mattel Studios, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, and Chu’s Electric Somewhere.
Inspired by the world’s best-selling toy, the high-octane film is set to capture Hot Wheels’ imagination, speed, and multi-generational appeal. This marks the first time Mattel and Bad Robot have partnered on a feature project, and it comes on the heels of Barbie‘s massive success as the top-grossing film of 2023 and the highest-grossing Warner Bros. release ever.
Chu joins the project following the success of Wicked: Part I, which earned more than $700 million globally and became the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in domestic box office history. He’s also currently attached to direct an animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! — another Warner Bros. and Bad Robot collaboration.
This new film is just one part of Mattel Studios’ expanding content slate, which includes 15 films in development based on its beloved IPs, including Polly Pocket and Barney. Masters of the Universe and Matchbox, starring John Cena, are expected to premiere next year.
