The Oscar-nominated Phil Johnston is penning a screenplay for a feature based on Mattel’s View-Master 3D image toy.
Johnston, a screenwriter, producer and director, will write the live-action feature film for Mattel Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Escape Artists.
“View-Master was one of my favorite toys when I was a kid (still is), because it gave me a chance to explore faraway worlds without ever leaving my room. I would escape into those slides for hours at a time, and no one would yell at me for staring. I want to bring the wonder I felt as a bowl-haired kid in the 80s to the big screen now, and working with Mattel, Sony and Escape Artists is giving me the chance to do just that,” Johnston said in a statement on Tuesday.
He co-wrote and co-directed Disney’s popular Wreck-It Ralph and Ralph Breaks the Internet projects, and also co-wrote the animated comedy Zootopia. Johnston’s movie adaptation will be inspired by Mattel’s classic 3D image toy first introduced in 1939. The stereoscopic viewing device with its 3-D image reels has been a staple Mattel toy for generations.
Tom McNulty, senior executive for film at Mattel, added in a statement: “View-Master has always been pure magic to me—a simple toy that opened entire worlds beyond imagination. It’s an incredible honor to have the brilliant Phil Johnston, one of the most soulful and inventive storytellers in film, at the helm of the View-Master reimagining.”
The View-Master movie will be overseen by McNulty and Arturo Thur de Koos for Mattel Studios. Robbie Brenner is producing with Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Tony Shaw.
Mattel is also collaborating with Escape Artists to produce the upcoming Masters of the Universe live-action feature film based on the iconic Mattel franchise and set for global theatrical release on June 5, 2026.
Johnston is represented by Management 360.
