Deadline reports that a new series that tells the stories of the creators of Barbie and Bratz is in the works.
According to the publication, CBS Studios has acquired the rights to a book that explores the lawsuit that took place between Mattel and MGA Entertainment, the two companies that manufacture the iconic dolls.
The show will be adapted from the book, You Don’t Own Me: How Mattel v. MGA Entertainment Exposed Barbie’s Dark Side, by author and law professor Orly Lobel. It will delve into the parallels between Ruth Handler—who was portrayed in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 blockbuster by Rhea Perlman—and Carter Bryant, who put his dolls on the market in 2001, 42 years after Barbie.
It is described as “a thought-provoking to the debate over creativity and intellectual property” and “explores the two different versions of womanhood represented by Barbie and her rival.”
In case you missed it: the two manufacturers had a decade-long court battle over Carter Bryant’s designs as he conceived the idea for Yasmin, Chloe, Jade, and Sasha while working at Mattel where he designed clothes for the toys. He then resigned and sold the rights to his ideas to rival company MGA.
Despite the sour dispute, Bratz (who have become icons amongst their now-grown fanbase within the last few years online) took to social media to poke fun at the release of their enemies’ film back in July. In the video, they go and see Oppenheimer rather than Barbie, despite wearing pink and talking about how much Warner Bros. spent on the movie’s promotion.
During the grueling legal fight, a judge ruled in 2008 in Mattel’s favor with their chief executive, Robert Eckert, saying, “We’re extremely pleased that the court granted Mattel’s motion for an injunction and ordered MGA to stop selling Bratz products that infringe on Mattel’s rights.”
However, the war would rage on for years as both sides appealed court decisions. Eventually, Bratz won and Mattel had to pay out ($310 million) for legal fees, false claims, and stealing trade secrets.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the work being covered here wouldn’t exist.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
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Brooke Pollock
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