Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write: there's a live-action Toys "R" Us movie in the works.
According to Variety, Story Kitchen — the team behind pretty much every video game movie adaptation you've seen recently, including the Sonic the Hedgehog movies — hopes to "capture that childhood wonder in a modern, fast-paced adventure that taps into the Toys 'R' Us brand’s relevance across its more than 70 years in the toy industry."
“Toys 'R' Us is a cultural touchstone that continues impacting the child in all of us today,” said Story Kitchen co-founders Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg. “As '80s kids who considered Toys 'R' Us one of the most magical places on Earth, we’re honored to partner to create a film that will capture the spirit of adventure, creativity and nostalgia that Toys 'R' Us represents.”
Somehow Toys 'R' Us returned. Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
The movie is described as taking inspiration from Night at the Museum, Back to the Future, and Big, as well as other toy-to-movie crossover franchises like Barbie. As yet, there's no firm details about its cast, but Johnson, Goldberg, Timothy I. Stevenson, and Elena Sandoval will produce for Story Kitchen alongside Kim Miller Olko, who produces for Toys "R" Us Studios.
“As Toys "R" Us' first film, this project is an exciting opportunity to bring the magic of our brand to the big screen,” added Miller Olko, president of Toys "R" Us Studios. “It will be a journey as boundless as play itself, evoking the electric sense of wonder that is the essence of Toys "R" Us. This story will capture the imagination, adventure and joy that has made Toys 'R' Us a destination for kids of all ages.”
Last year, Story Kitchen announced a film adaptation of Square Enix's Just Cause, with Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto signed on. It's also adapting Dredge: The Movie, Kingmakers, and Sleeping Dogs.
