Here's a headline we never expected to see: Toys "R" Us is getting the live-action movie treatment.
Per Variety, Story Kitchen—the production house behind recent hit video game adaptations like the Sonic the Hedgehog films—plans to "harness that childlike magic in a thrilling contemporary adventure, celebrating the toy giant's enduring legacy spanning over seven decades."
"Toys 'R' Us is more than a store—it's a beloved icon that still sparks joy in kids and adults alike," said Story Kitchen co-founders Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg. "As '80s kids who felt the wonder of walking through those aisles, we're thrilled to bring that same sense of excitement, imagination, and nostalgia to the big screen."
The film draws creative inspiration from classics like Night at the Museum, Back to the Future, and Big—not to mention the recent success of toy-based movies such as Barbie. While casting remains under wraps, producers include Johnson, Goldberg, Timothy I. Stevenson, and Elena Sandoval from Story Kitchen, along with Kim Miller Olko representing Toys "R" Us Studios.
"This movie marks a major milestone as the first theatrical project for our brand," said Miller Olko, president of Toys "R" Us Studios. "We're crafting an experience as limitless as childhood play itself—delivering that same electric excitement that made Toys 'R' Us a wonderland for generations."
The announcement follows Story Kitchen’s recent reveal of a Just Cause film adaptation with Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto attached. Their pipeline also includes adaptations of Dredge, Kingmakers, and Sleeping Dogs.
