Following the overwhelming success of the Barbie movie, toy brand Mattel has begun work on an American Girl Doll Movie which aims to recapture a bit of that cinematic magic. Originally debuting in 1986, the American Girl Doll line features dolls of varying races, religions, and backgrounds, and places them at specific points in American history. Mattel purchased the brand in 1998 and immediately set about making American Girl a multimedia franchise similar to their Barbie products.

Starting back in 1986 when the toy line was launched, the American Girl Dolls were often accompanied by books that simultaneously taught youngsters about American history while fleshing out the backstory of the individual dolls. In 2004, American Girl Dolls made the jump to the screen with Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, which brought the particularly popular character of Samantha to life in live-action. Over a dozen such movies were produced up until 2017, but Mattel now has plans to make an all-new American Girl Doll Movie that is more akin to 2023’s Barbie movie.

The American Girl Doll Movie Is Confirmed

The Company Hopes To Recapture The Success Of Barbie

The announcement isn’t particularly surprising considering Mattel’s eagerness to exploit its popular toys in the cinematic realm, but American Girl seems to be coming instead of
Barbie 2
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Announced in late 2023, Mattel is officially developing an American Girl Doll Movie that hopes to ride the wave of popularity that began with Barbie. The gigantic toy company currently has over 40 film and TV projects in the works involving their brands, but it seems as if American Girl is a priority considering its similarity to Barbie. The American Girl Doll Movie will come from Paramount Pictures and Temple Hill Productions, the latter studio most known for their teen epics like Twilight and Maze Runner.

The announcement isn’t particularly surprising considering Mattel’s eagerness to exploit its popular toys in the cinematic realm, but American Girl seems to be coming instead of Barbie 2. Since both properties involve dolls, and both have been embroiled in political debate for decades, an American Girl Doll Movie is a logical successor to Barbie, and could theoretically tackle similar issues. However, Mattel and everyone involved with the film’s development have been very tight-lipped, and nearly a year since the project’s announcement, no additional news has surfaced.

Who Is Involved In The American Girl Doll Movie?

Lindsey Anderson Beer Is Attached To Write

So far, not a lot has been announced about the American Girl Doll Movie, but the project has attached a screenwriter. Lindsey Anderson Beer has been tapped to pen the script for the newest Mattel opus, and her hiring is a somewhat vexing choice considering she recently directed the critically panned straight-to-streaming horror film Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. However, Beer’s first big claim to fame came with 2018’s Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, which might be more in line with an American Girl Doll Movie.

Beer will also serve as producer, but it is unknown who will sit in the director’s chair. Beer would be a logical choice to direct, but she has a slew of upcoming projects, including Disney’s live-action Bambi. Additionally, no cast has been revealed yet, and it is unclear how the movie will approach the American Girl mythology.

The American Girl Doll Movie Is Not A Barbie Sequel

Despite The Mattel Connection, The Films Aren’t Related

One important distinction to be made about the upcoming American Girl Doll Movie is that it isn’t intended to be a sequel to Barbie. There are a slew of movies based on toys coming out on the horizon, and Mattel is the primary source of many of the future projects. That being said, the American Girl Doll Movie is not part of a larger universe and will likely be a standalone film. It isn’t known how Mattel is planning to approach the American Girl franchise, but it will be crucial for them to take away the right lessons from Barbie‘s blockbuster success.