Toy manufacturing company Mattel Inc. has won back the licensing deal to once again produce toys based on The Walt Disney Company’s Disney princesses lineup. In 2016, Mattel lost the production license deal to rival manufacturers Hasbro Inc. and had been trying to gain it back since 2018, successfully doing so in early Jan. 2022.
With a brand new collection set to drop in 2023, as reported by Variety, Mattel will resume developing dolls based on the famous Disney Princesses, with Frozen sisters Anna and Elsa joining the pack of iconic princesses from Disney animated films.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome back the Disney Princess and Frozen lines to Mattel,” said Richard Dickson, president of Mattel Inc. The new production deal also awards Mattel the rights to toys from the live-action remakes of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin, as well as Disney Plus shows Moana and Tiana.
Hasbro, however, did pick up Indiana Jones licensing rights.
Mattel Inc. is most notable for its production of Barbie dolls, which launched 62 years ago in 1959, was also responsible for 20 years of production of Disney Princess toys, before losing out to Hasbro Inc. Mattel still owns the toy rights to Pixar Animation Studios’ Toy Story and Cars franchise, while Hasbro just renewed its agreement for the toy rights of the Star Wars franchise, still tying both manufacturers to Disney.
Stephanie Young, president of Disney consumer products, games, and publishing, also announced an expansion of the “worlds of Disney Princess and Frozen, introducing an innovative new era of these beloved franchises through captivating products and play opportunities.”