Warner Bros. Consumer Products has appointed Mattel as the global master toy licensee for 2008 features Speed Racer and Batman sequel The Dark Knight. Mattel is looking at key categories including vehicles, action figures, action play, remote control vehicles, handheld electronics and games and puzzles for both programs.
Directed by Matrix duo Larry and Andy Wachowski, Speed Racer> is slated to zoom into theatres on May 9, 2008. The live-action family adventure is based on the classic anime series created by Tatsuo Yoshida and licensed merch will begin arriving at retail in late March 2008.
The second instalment in Christopher Nolan’s Batman series The Dark Knight is scheduled to swing into theatres on July 18, 2008, with a large mass-market merch program rolling into retail in early June 2008.