Mattel Studios Is Turning TONY THE TATTOOED MAN Into a Live-Action Movie With SXSW Standout Tracie Laymon
Mattel Studios keeps digging into its toy box and pulling out some genuinely unexpected projects. The latest one is a live-action film based on Tony the Tattooed Man, a short-lived but memorable action figure from the early ’90s.
The project has landed in the hands of Tracie Laymon, the filmmaker behind the SXSW award-winning Bob Trevino Likes It, who is set to both write and direct.
Tony the Tattooed Man first showed up in 1992 as a muscle-bound action figure designed to be customized. Kids could apply temporary tattoos directly onto the figure, wash them off, and start over again.
It was a toy built around reinvention, even if it didn’t stick around long on store shelves. These days, that brief run has turned Tony into a rare vintage collectible, giving the character a second life that feels oddly perfect for a movie adaptation.
Laymon isn’t approaching this as a straightforward toy movie. Instead, she’s reimagining Tony as the heart of a character-driven drama that blends surreal fantasy with grounded emotion.
The film is being developed under Mattel Studios, with Darian Greenbaum and Steve Spohr overseeing the project. Robbie Brenner, Mattel Studios’ President and Chief Content Officer, is producing alongside Ivan Sanchez.
Brenner explained why Laymon was the right creative voice for this story, saying: “After seeing Bob Trevino Likes It and the specificity and emotional depth that Tracie brings to her characters, I knew that she was the perfect person to develop Tony the Tattooed Man. It’s a story that feels especially relevant today, one that explores looking beyond first impressions and leading with empathy.”
Laymon connected with the material because of the character’s name and the toy’s brief, almost forgotten history. She shared:
“I was immediately drawn to Tony the Tattooed Man from the minute I saw his name and then learned about his short-lived journey as a discontinued toy.
“His story is a reminder of the healing power of second chances and not judging a book – or a person – by their cover, a message I believe the world needs right now. It is an honor to partner with Mattel, who are true allies for artists, on a film that will help restore our faith in humanity.”
Laymon’s Bob Trevino Likes It stars John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira and follows a lonely young woman who forms an unexpected bond online with a stranger who shares her father’s name. The movie was later acquired by Roadside Attractions and released theatrically in March of last year.
This project is another sign that Mattel Studios is comfortable playing in different genres and tones. The studio recently brought on Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith to write a live-action Monster High movie, and it has a packed slate ahead.
Its next major release is Masters of the Universe, starring Nicholas Galitzine, which Amazon MGM will release in North America on June 5th. There’s also a live-action Matchbox movie on the way from Apple, Skydance, and Mattel, starring John Cena, currently expected to hit in 2026.
Turning Tony the Tattooed Man into a heartfelt, surreal drama isn’t the obvious move, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out. This oddball action figure could end up becoming one of Mattel Studios’ most interesting big-screen transformations yet.
Source: Deadline