Hasbro’s iconic ‘Action Man’ is finally getting a live-action movie
After 'GI Joe' and 'Barbie,' another toy is set to dominate Hollywood. This time, it is 'Action Man,' a British toyline that debuted in 1966, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 'Action Man' will be the focus of a movie developed by Hasbro and Working Title. Simon Hatt, known for being an EP on 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' and, with a decade of experience in Marvel, is set to write the script along with Anthony Sellitti, who previously worked on the Emmy-nominated 'X-Men '97' series. Jeremy Latcham, who has served as a producer in early 'Avengers' movies and 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,' will serve in the same capacity for the developing project.
For those unaware, 'Action Man' was inspired by 'GI Joe' and entered the market two years after the latter's debut. Toy maker Palitoy, who created 'Action Man,' kept its style and look very similar to 'GI Joe'. There were no underhanded means involved, though, as Hasbro licensed GI Joe's design to Palitoy, according to Movie Web. After some years, Palitoy started to develop an independent identity. The team decided to focus on the toy's British background. By the 1990s, the toys started to portray a James Bond-esque character. Over the years, the toys became extremely famous, and their popularity brought them back again in the 2010s. Hatt and Sellitti have long known about the toys, as they grew up with them being British. They share a deep bond with them, which encouraged them to pursue the project with full passion. Hatt even got a stunt crew together to create a pre-visualization that helped the team to sell the project to Hasbro and Working Title.
As per the report, the project is set to be a blend of action and comedy. It will also be deeply British in nature. U.K.-based Working Title was hence the perfect fit for the movie, with its filmography boasting 'Baby Driver,' 'Last Night,' 'The Sheep Detectives,' 'Love Actually,' and the 'Bridget Jones's Diary' films. This is not the first time 'Action Man' has been adapted. In the past, 'Action Man' was developed into an animated series, which is only available in the UK due to legal reasons. After 'Barbie's success, production companies are keen to bring toys to life. 14 Mattel properties are currently in active development, according to Variety. The list includes 'Barney,' 'Polly Pocket,' 'Thomas and Friends,' and 'American Girl.' 'Action Man' also seems to be a result of this resurgence of interest.
