Film fans react to news that JJ Abrams is making a Hot Wheels movie

Film fans have reacted to the news that JJ Abrams will be making a live-action film about Hot Wheels cars.

Following the news that Mattel plans to make more toy-inspired films after Barbie, the Star Wars director revealed some brief details about his own contribution to the upcoming roster of projects.

“For a long time, we were talking to Mattel about Hot Wheels, and we couldn’t quite find the thing that clicked, that made it worthy of what Hot Wheels – that title – deserved,” Abams said in a “short, uncomfortable video” describing the new franchise, according to the New Yorker.

“Then we came up with something… emotional and grounded and gritty.”

The film has reportedly been in development for 20 years, before Dalton Leeb and Nicholas Jacobson-Larson were brought on board for the screenplay, which has yet to be written.

The reaction online has ranged from excitement to confusion. “I’m excited for that. I used to collect the #HotWheels cars when I was a kid,” one Twitter user wrote. “I’m all for this. JJ Abrams will give us a great hotwheels movie,” another added.

However, some have argued that Hot Wheels “doesn’t need a movie”, while another asked why exactly it needed to be “gritty”, adding: “It’s HotWheels. Just put them on a track and go.”

“Hollywood is completely bereft of ideas,” another person wrote in response to the announcement.

You can read some more social media reactions below.

JJ Abrams says his #HotWheels movie will be “emotional and grounded and gritty.”
What if it also ends up being about family and it turns out Hot Wheels and Fast and Furious are of the same universe..? Honestly, I’d watch that!

— Jon Lee Brody (@JonLeeBrody) July 4, 2023

8 year old me losing my mind at the prospect of finally getting the 'grounder and gritty' live-action Hot Wheels movie I always dreamed of. https://t.co/XL94PBKRUS

— KAMIL (@kazhar87) July 4, 2023

I’m all for this. JJ Abrams will give us a great hotwheels movie

— Wheat (@_Wheat___) July 4, 2023

@jjabrams what the fuck is this?? It’s HotWheels. Just put them on a track and go. Dafuq needs to be gritty??

— BEASUS (@Fib_James) July 4, 2023

Mattel and Warner Bros will be printing money with this “Hotwheels“ live action film, and the forthcoming “Barbie” live action film. With JJ Abrams’ company on board, surely they’ll have a good story. #mattel #hotwheels #badrobot #WarnerBros https://t.co/pB4flGvyxE

— Thomas Rainwater (@Rain_H2O) April 28, 2022

People getting angry about all the Mattel films planned are forgetting that there is also a writers strike (and possibly an actors strike soon too), so they're actually going to be much, much worse than you think https://t.co/5eVaP8W7uD

— Andy (@ImACultHero) July 4, 2023

I don't care how good or bad it is
this single thing has killed cinema forever https://t.co/qClkN0E7kH

— AmethystDecoyZ (@blacktekii) July 4, 2023

Aight, this doesn't need a movie. If it's animated, then okay I get it, but if it's live action then I'm not interested. #HotWheels #Toys #JarJarAbrams #JJAbrams #Movies #Movie https://t.co/PGEMYgvAwZ

— Calumity (@TheCalumity) July 4, 2023

After all this time.. this is his comeback movie? #HotWheels #jjabrams https://t.co/bQ4hdBQJPF pic.twitter.com/yBlKY1VZpm

— Edimar (@Edimarfilms) July 4, 2023

He's got a really weird resume, StarWars, Portal, Hotwheels

— Charl (@Charlie_Eevee) July 4, 2023

#JJAbrams is developing a #HotWheels movie. I'm a excited for that. I used to collect the #HotWheels cars when I was a kid

— DFastX (@d_speeder) July 4, 2023

Meanwhile, in Barbie news, the anticipated film landed a 12A rating in the UK for “moderate innuendo, brief sexual harassment”.

Barbie is set for release on July 21 in the UK, with a runtime of 114 minutes. It stars Margot Robbie in the titular role, with Ryan Gosling as Ken.

It was recently revealed that the film is being banned in Vietnam as it includes the “nine dash line map” that depicts islands in the South China Sea as being controlled by Beijing.

Elsewhere, a production designer on the film revealed that the shoot led to a worldwide shortage of pink paint.

The post Film fans react to news that JJ Abrams is making a Hot Wheels movie appeared first on NME.