What Warner Bros.’ Partnership with Mattel Means for DC
By Movieguide® Contributor
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced it has inked a multi-year deal with Mattel, allowing the toy company to license the entirety of its DC library for merchandise.
“[WBD]’s new agreement with Mattel arrives as DC kicks off an exciting new chapter in 2025,” said Robert Oberschelp, head of WBD Global Consumer Products. “Our collaboration with Mattel will lead to all-new offerings celebrating DC’s rich legacy and future storytelling across publishing, animation, TV, and film. Every story and character from Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman’s heroics to The Joker and Harley Quinn’s troublemaking, are prime inspiration for a new partnership that combines the power of Mattel and the global approach of DC.”
“It is an incredibly proud milestone to seclome DC back to Mattel,” added Nick Karamanos, the senior vice president of Entertainment Partnerships at Mattel. “We look forward to leveraging our Mattel Playbook approach to brand management, product design, and innovation to bring DC’s popular characters to life across all channels. This renewed partnership will reflect our shared passion for engaging and inspiring fans and collectors of all ages.”
The partnership with the DC brand allows Mattel to produce and market a variety of DC-themed products including action figures, playsets, accessories and collectables. It also extends Mattel’s partnership with WDB which already includes over 30 IPs, including Harry Potter, FRIENDS and Ted Lasso.
Meanwhile, the DC Universe is set to launch in 2025 as James Gunn takes over as the architect of the DC Cinematic Universe, restarting the franchise with SUPERMAN, which is hitting theaters on July 11 of this year.
READ MORE: WHY IS THIS DC UNIVERSE SHOW RELEASING BEFORE SUPERMAN?
Gunn and his team plans for the DC Universe to be even more successful than Marvel’s has been, partially because they have mapped out the story for the next decade, rather than cobbling things together after finding success. This has allowed them to include crucial details in even the first movie that will go unnoticed until their importance is revealed years down the line.
READ MORE: DC STUDIOS CEO JAMES GUNN ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS: ‘STORYTELLING IS ALWAYS KING’
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +4