Move out of the way Barbie, another doll is getting a live-action movie from a surprising writer

Forget Barbie, the Monster High dolls are getting their own live-action movie adaptation from a rather unlikely writer.

The news was announced via a press release (H/T Variety) confirming that the upcoming Monster High movie is officially in development from Mattel, Inc., Universal Pictures, and Oscar-winning producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman under his banner, Weed Road.

First introduced in 2010, the Monster High doll collection includes the fashionable and ghoulish daughters of well-known monsters such as Dracula's kid Draculaura, Frankenstein's Frankie Stein, and The Creature of the Black Lagoon's Lagoona Blue. The dolls are known to be a gothic and horror-esque take on the traditional Barbie or fashion doll and are highly popular.

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Best known for penning Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Batman & Robin, and A Beautiful Mind, Goldsman is set to produce and pen the theatrical film with an original story. This seems like a rather surprising pairing, but as Goldsman is set to produce upcoming sequels to horror movie Constantine and zombie thriller I Am Legend, it seems like he is the perfect person to put a gothic spin on the current live-action doll movie trend.

Mattel is pleased with the partnership as company president Robbie Brenner expressed: "We’re proud to partner with Universal Pictures and the brilliant Akiva Goldsman to usher this important message to audiences worldwide." Goldsman added: "I’ve been fascinated by Monster High since my daughters were obsessed with the dolls as kids. I’m thrilled to once again join forces with Robbie Brenner and our friends at Mattel to help bring this iconic property to life."

However, this isn't the first time the popular franchise has been adapted as it has seen many animated TV shows and movies over the years, as well as a 2022 live-action adaptation titled Monster High: The Movie and its 2023 sequel. But, it is important to note that Nickelodeon’s live-action movies present the dolls as teens, so it will be interesting to see if Goldsman’s version uses adult actors just as Warner Bros.’ Barbie did.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.