15 Best Movies Based on Toys

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Many of the most popular movies began as simple childhood games with toys like dolls, action figures, and board games. These films successfully transformed familiar brands into exciting big-screen adventures. Here’s a look at some of the most memorable movies based on toys that have captivated audiences in theaters.

‘Barbie’ (2023)

Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and explores the world of the iconic doll, alongside various versions of Ken. Created in partnership with Mattel and Warner Bros., the movie blends a contemporary story with nods to Barbie’s history. The film’s design features stunning, detailed sets modeled after traditional dollhouses.

‘The Lego Movie’ (2014)

‘The Lego Movie,’ directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, used special computer animation to look like stop-motion animation. Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks starred as the main characters, with Will Arnett and Alison Brie also playing important roles. The movie cleverly combined characters from other franchises with original Lego figures. It was a big hit that led to other Lego-themed movies like ‘The Lego Batman Movie’ and ‘The Lego Ninjago Movie’.

‘Transformers’ (2007)

Michael Bay’s ‘Transformers’ movie was inspired by the popular Hasbro and Takara Tomy toys. Starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, the film featured impressive visual effects to create the iconic Autobot and Decepticon robots. The filmmakers combined real vehicles and physical sets with computer animation. The movie’s success launched a continuing series of sequels and prequels.

‘Clue’ (1985)

The movie ‘Clue’ is based on the popular detective board game invented by Anthony E. Pratt. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, it stars Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, and Eileen Brennan, among others. Unusually, the film was originally released to cinemas with several different possible endings. Later versions available for home viewing included all of these endings together.

‘Battleship’ (2012)

Peter Berg’s film ‘Battleship’ was inspired by the classic naval combat board game. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson, the movie is a large-scale action story set on the high seas. Filming took place on actual Navy ships and in beautiful locations around Hawaii, and the script playfully references the board game with mentions of grid coordinates.

‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ (2017)

‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ builds on the popular My Little Pony toys and animated series. The film stars voices like Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, and Emily Blunt, and tells a story about a kingdom in danger. The animation looks similar to the TV show, but with more detail and impressive visual effects. Lionsgate released the movie widely for families to enjoy.

‘Trolls’ (2016)

The animated movie ‘Trolls’ from DreamWorks is inspired by the popular troll dolls first created in the 1900s. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake star as the main characters in this musical story about finding happiness and living in harmony. The film’s original songs were a hit around the world, and its success led to sequels and a TV show.

‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ (2009)

‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ is an action movie directed by Stephen Sommers, based on the popular Hasbro toy line. Starring Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, and Sienna Miller, the film follows an international team on a thrilling adventure. It features impressive technology like specialized suits and vehicles, as well as a secret headquarters, and it paved the way for the sequel, ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’.

‘Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure!’ (1977)

This charming animated movie is based on the beloved Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls, originally created by Johnny Gruelle. Directed by Richard Williams and featuring songs by Joe Raposo, the film also includes the voice of Didi Conn. Known for its beautiful, traditional hand-drawn animation and painted backgrounds, it was one of the first movies ever made based on dolls.

‘Bratz’ (2007)

‘Bratz’ is a movie based on the popular fashion dolls from MGA Entertainment, following the lives of four high school friends. The film stars Nathalia Ramos, Skyler Shaye, Logan Browning, and Janel Parrish. It features original songs and clothing styles inspired by the Bratz brand, and was released widely by Lionsgate.

‘Playmobil: The Movie’ (2019)

I was so excited to see ‘Playmobil: The Movie’! It’s really cool how they brought those classic Playmobil figures to life, mixing animation with some live-action scenes. Anya Taylor-Joy is in it, both on screen *and* doing a voice role – along with Daniel Radcliffe and Jim Gaffigan, which is awesome! The movie really captures the feel of the Playmobil sets I grew up with, creating these detailed worlds of knights, spies, and everything in between. It was directed by Lino DiSalvo, who’s worked on a lot of big animated films, so I had high hopes, and it delivered!

‘Masters of the Universe’ (1987)

‘Masters of the Universe’ is a film based on the popular He-Man toys, starring Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella. It brings the characters from the world of Eternia into the modern day. The movie, produced by Cannon Films, featured impressive costumes and makeup, especially for the villain Skeletor and his followers, and was the first time many of the He-Man figures were brought to life on screen.

‘Ouija’ (2014)

As a horror fan, I remember checking out ‘Ouija’ when it came out – it’s built around the classic Hasbro spirit board and tries to deliver a spooky thriller vibe. Stiles White directed, and Olivia Cooke was the lead. It was made by those guys at Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse, and they shot it all down in Southern California. Later on, they actually made a prequel called ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil,’ which was a totally new story with a different cast, going back to explore the board’s origins.

‘Max Steel’ (2016)

The movie ‘Max Steel’ brings the popular Mattel action figure to life in a sci-fi adventure. Ben Winchell stars as Max, with Andy Garcia and Maria Bello playing key supporting roles. The story centers around Max gaining an alien energy partner and attracting the attention of the government due to his newfound abilities. Open Road Films released the movie in North America.

‘UglyDolls’ (2019)

‘UglyDolls’ started as a popular line of plush toys designed by David Horvath and Sun Min Kim. The animated movie features a star-studded voice cast, including Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monáe, and Nick Jonas, and tells a story about embracing who you are. The performers also recorded original songs for the film, which was released by STX and promoted alongside the toy brand.

Share your favorite toy based movies in the comments and tell us which ones we should add next.

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2025-10-16 21:15