Reputable producer Jerry Bruckheimer will be producing a new live-action film with Paramount Pictures based on the well-known Beyblade toy franchise. Paramount is no stranger to giving toy franchises the cinematic treatment, having done so with Transformers, which turned into a profitable collection of films.
The popular Beyblade spinning top toy was released in 1999, initially developed by the Japanese firm Takara. The inspiration behind the toy came from beigoma, a traditional Japanese spinning top, and developed into a hit manga series that bore the same name. Since then, various toy companies have licensed the popularized toy, including Hasbro, which began selling the toy internationally in 2002. The toy grew into a competitive movement, pitting individuals' spinning tops against one another in a competition known as a BeyBattle, which took place in a small arena. While not as popular as it once was, the BeyBlade franchise still has life and a fanbase that enjoys diving into the excitement of the battle.
Deadline reports the Beyblade film currently sits in the early production phase with stars attached to the project, but Paramount hopes to build a franchise of continuous films centered around the popular spinning toy. No director is attached to the live-action Beyblade adventure yet, but Neil Widener and Gavin James will write the film. The studio accomplished success in the field of toy-based movies with its Transformers franchise and looks to replicate the fortune with Bruckheimer. In addition, the live-action film would help potentially reignite excitement in the Beyblade toys themselves, building an avenue for more merchandise to be sold, which would add to the revenue train Paramount hopes to push forward with the project. It'll be interesting to see who takes the director's chair and what faces will be cast to help build the film's anticipation until its release.
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However, the idea of a Beyblade movie is not new and has been explored by Paramount before, most notably in 2015. The studio acquired the rights to the live-action film in that year and had ambitions to manifest what it accomplished with the current Hasbro properties it owns beneath its umbrella. Unfortunately, things went silent after the announcement was made, with no news as to when Paramount would put items in motion. It's unclear why the radio silence emerged, but it could point toward the overall scope of the story. Of course, turning the popular toy into a live-action film, let alone a franchise with developing pieces, won't be effortless. The wheels, however, seem to be moving with the film finding its producer and writers to craft the building blocks of the narrative.
The addition of Bruckheimer is significant and adds a bit more to the film's potential. The renowned producer has had his hand in various well-known projects, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Armageddon, Bad Boys, and more. The track record is well documented and provides some subtle optimism that Paramount may accomplish the goals it has regarding the film. Currently, Bruckheimer and Paramount are gearing up for the release of the highly-anticipated Top Gun: Maverick, which looks to hit theaters this summer. The sequel to the 1986 action film hoped to premiere on November 19, 2021, but the ongoing pandemic pushed the release to May 27, 2022.
It's too early to tell what Beyblade will become, but ambitions must be high if Paramount envisions a franchise for the once-popular spinning top toy. The project will ignite nostalgia in a specific demographic while tapping into a new generation unfamiliar with the emblematic toy. The narrative picture will become more evident once the pieces of the puzzle fall more firmly together, but for now, Bruckheimer's name is enough to generate some excitement.
The live-action Beyblade film is currently in development.
Source: Deadline