This feature in yesterday’s Daily Variety:

Studios are about to embark on a flurry of projects based on popular toy brands, ranging from action figures to board games to Hot Wheels. It’s a trend that has sent Hasbro, Mattel and other toymakers searching through their vaults to license their most prized properties.

Speaking of Mattel, check out what’s in the works there:

• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Set up at Warner Bros., Joel Silver is spearheading the live action version of the ’80s action figures, scripted by Justin Marks, who’s penned bigscreen versions of “Voltron,” “Green Arrow” and “Street Fighter.” It’s finalizing a deal with a director.
• Hot Wheels: Also at WB, the actioner will feature the toy line’s cars in a pic also to be produced by Silver from a script by Matt Nix (USA’s “Burn Notice”). The project was once at Sony with McG at the helm before being put into turnaround after pics like “Stealth” crashed and burned.
• Barbie: A live action film will revolve around the iconic doll, with several filmmakers in contention to start development on the pic.
• Max Steel: A feature is in development about this line of action figures that incorporate elements of James Bond. The character, featured in a weekly animated TV series on Kids WB and Cartoon Network from 2000-03, targeted boys age 8-to-12 and has been featured in direct-to-DVD movies in Latin America.

You can see how the studios are thinking, especially since the successful launch of the Transformers movie series: Why go through all the trouble of creating stories with possible ancillary toy revenues when we can jump in with a preexisting toy? Plus, the toys already come with a built-in brand awareness in the marketplace. It’s a win-win, right?

Well, there’s always the small matter of coming up with a good story — but that’s where the screenwriter comes in. Thank God I (studio exec) don’t have to worry about how to craft a narrative around the Magic 8-Ball or Hot Wheels.

But here’s the money quote from the Variety article. Barry Waldo, who is Mattel’s VP for entertainment and marketing, had this to say about a Hot Wheels movie:

“We won’t have the cars talk,” Waldo says. “That would be off brand position for us. It won’t be another ‘Knight Rider,’ I promise that.”

“Off brand position.” Gotta love that corporate speak.