EXCLUSIVE: After seeing Depraved soar to 10 Oscar nominations and a worldwide gross exceeding $756M, and with the again half of the two-part musical arising for launch this November, Jon M. Chu has inked a deal to direct a live-action Sizzling Wheels film for Mattel and Warner Bros. Photos.
Juel Taylor & Tony Rettenmaier, a writer-director duo whose credit embrace Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone, have been tapped to pen the script, with J.J. Abrams’ Unhealthy Robotic and Chu’s Electrical Someplace producing. Robbie Brenner will produce for Mattel Studios alongside Chu, Abrams, and Michael Bostic, with Arturo Thur de Koós overseeing for Mattel Studios. Sheila Walcott and Zach Hamby are overseeing for Warner Bros. Photos, together with Jon Cohen for Unhealthy Robotic, and Jane Lee for Electrical Someplace.
Sizzling Wheels is billed as an motion movie, impressed by Mattel’s bestselling toy automobile line, which is able to showcase a number of the world’s hottest and sleekest autos. Additional plot particulars are below wraps. The venture reunites Chu with Warner Bros and Unhealthy Robotic, amid their present work collectively on Oh, the Locations You’ll Go, an adaptation of the traditional story from Dr. Seuss, which marks Unhealthy Robotic’s first theatrical animated function.
In an announcement to Deadline on at present’s Sizzling Wheels information, Mattel Studios’ President and Chief Content material Officer Brenner mentioned, “Jon’s capacity to craft wealthy, elaborate worlds with a definite standpoint makes him the perfect storyteller to deliver Sizzling Wheels to life. His movies are visible spectacles—true eye sweet—however what units them aside is how he weaves unforgettable narratives inside these gorgeous frames. Paired with Juel and Tony’s compelling storytelling, this group is uniquely positioned to seize the guts, adrenaline, and spirit of Sizzling Wheels, a number one model in automobile tradition.”
Chu added that “Sizzling Wheels has all the time been about greater than pace – it’s about creativeness, connection, and the fun of play. Bringing that spirit to the massive display is an unbelievable alternative. I’m excited to companion with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Photos, and Unhealthy Robotic to create an journey that honors Sizzling Wheels’ legacy whereas driving it someplace completely new.”
A globally acknowledged model of die-cast toy vehicles launched in 1968, Sizzling Wheels was initially conceived by Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler as a cooler, extra performance-oriented different to Matchbox vehicles, which dominated the die-cast market on the time. (Mattel went on to amass that model 4 a long time after its introduction.) Along with promoting over eight billion autos worldwide, the model has proved its affect in automotive and popular culture over time by way of collaborations with international leaders in automotive, streetwear, style, luxurious, leisure, gaming, motion sports activities and motorsports.
Unhealthy Robotic introduced its partnership with Mattel and Warner Bros on the Sizzling Wheels film in 2022. In his personal assertion at present, producer Abrams mentioned, “We already felt extremely fortunate to collaborate with Mattel on this particular movie. Having Jon, Juel and Tony come aboard takes our pleasure to an entire new stage.”
Added Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros. Photos’ President of Growth and Manufacturing, “Jon is a visionary director and an unbelievable companion to Warner Bros. We’re thrilled to have him be a part of us, together with the proficient writing duo of Juel and Tony. With our collaborators at Unhealthy Robotic and Mattel Studios, we will’t wait to deliver Sizzling Wheels to life on the massive display.”
Final November, the primary half of Chu’s two-part adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical Depraved broke out as a cultural phenomenon, changing into the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in home field workplace historical past. For his work on the movie, Chu was named the 12 months’s Greatest Director by the Critics Selection Awards and the Nationwide Board of Evaluation. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star within the musical, whose second installment, Depraved: For Good, is slated for launch on November 21.
Chu has teamed with co-director Jill Culton on Oh, the Locations You’ll Go!, that includes songs by La La Land‘s Pasek & Paul, which is dated for launch on March 17, 2028. Lately, he additionally lined up Break up Fiction, an adaptation of the same-name online game starring Sydney Sweeney, for Amazon MGM Studios. Additionally identified for work on movies like Within the Heights and Loopy Wealthy Asians, the filmmaker is represented by Artists First, UTA, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
Lately combining its movie and TV items below the banner of Mattel Studios, as we have been first to report, Mattel has additionally just lately introduced function diversifications of the toy manufacturers Whac-A-Mole and View-Grasp. They’re additionally creating initiatives primarily based on IP like American Lady, Bob the Builder, Magic 8 Ball, Main Matt Mason, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Buddies, UNO, and Wishbone.
Sizzling Wheels scribes Taylor and Rettenmaier are repped by WME, Redefine, The Gotham Group, & Darren Trattner at Jackoway Tyerman.
