The Monster High gang is heading to the big screen, and today Mattel announced an unexpected but rather brilliant choice of director for the anticipated project. In an official announcement, Mattel revealed that it has chosen M3GAN’s Gerard Johnstone to direct the live-action theatrical Monster High, which will be developed by Universal Pictures and Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road banner. Johnstone is also at the helm of the highly anticipated M3GAN 2.0 sequel, and will be bringing that same magic to Mattel’s beloved franchise about a high school for monsters and all the crazy hijinks that ensue with Frankie Stein, Draculaura, Abbey Abominable, and more.
Robbie Brenner, President and Chief Content Officer, Mattel Studios, said: “Gerard’s unique vision and genre-blending style make him the perfect fit for this film. This is exactly what we’re building at Mattel Studios as we continue to work with top talent to tell fresh, unexpected stories from our rich portfolio of brands. Monster High is a fan-favorite franchise with endless storytelling potential, and we are thrilled to reimagine it in a monstrously exciting way with Gerard at the helm.”
Mattel clearly has a lot of faith in Johnstone, and he can’t wait to jump into a sandbox full of iconic and mythical monsters. “With Barbie, Mattel Studios demonstrated that they’re not afraid to take bold swings with their IP. What makes Monster High so exciting for me is the opportunity to play in the sandbox of so many iconic monster myths, and getting to do that alongside Akiva, Robbie, and Universal Pictures is a total dream. I can’t wait for audiences to step into the weird, wonderful world of misfit magic we’re about to create,” Johnstone said.
Monster High holds a special meaning to Goldsman, and he is intent on delivering a film and interpretation of the franchise that fans, including his own daughters, will love. “Monster High is delightfully personal to me — my daughters grew up loving the dolls and what they represent. Gerard’s work is sharp, daring, and full of heart. He’s exactly the director this film needs,” Goldsman said.
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No details on the story or the characters that will be featured are known yet, but the announcement did state that it would be featuring an original story. Monster High has been a favorite since its debut in 2010, and since then, the franchise has become a huge hit in the realm of toys, dolls, animation, and video games. The most recent animated adaptation, which aired on Nickelodeon, finished its run at the end of 2024, and the previous live-action film aired in 2022.
This time around, the franchise is getting an even bigger spotlight, though, and we can’t wait to see the whole gang on the big screen. For those unfamiliar, Monster High features students attending a school only for monsters, and each character is a play off of iconic monsters and creatures. While the roster has expanded quite a bit over the years, the main crew includes Frankie Stein, Draculaura, Abbey Abominable, Cleo DeNile, Clawdeen Wolf, and Lagoona Blue.
That’s just scratching the surface, and odds are we’ll get cameos and appearances from other favorites like Twyla Boogeyman, Deuce Gorgon, Ghoulia Yelps, Jinafire Long, Catty Noir, Spectra Vondergeist, and, of course, Headmistress Bloodgood.
Are you excited for the new Monster High live-action movie? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things movies and Monster High with me on Bluesky @Knightofoa!
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