Mattel Television Studios has bolstered its leadership ranks with three new executive hires that will oversee a pipeline of more than 14 series and specials in production. 

As previously reported by Kidscreen earlier this month, executive producer Sidney Clifton (Slumberkins, Marvel’s animated Black Panther) has been named head of creative for animation. Her counterpart in the same role for live action is Amy Suh (Paper Girls, Night Sky), covering both scripted and unscripted content. And veteran film editor Cory Bennett Lewis (Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) has been brought in to lead the company’s production team. All three execs joined earlier this month and report to head of Mattel Television Studios Michelle Mendelovitz. 

Suh hails from Amazon MGM Studios, where she recently worked with Sony on the platform’s Spidey-inspired live-action series Silk and Noir as a senior co-production development executive until she was laid off in January. Prior to joining Amazon, she contributed to scripted dramas Party of Five and Them at Sony Pictures Television, and oversaw international programming at Fox Networks Group. 

Lewis previously served as head of production at J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot studio for nine years, overseeing all aspects of its pipeline, from visual effects to post-production. She has worked on franchises such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Jack Ryan and Cloverfield over the course of her career. 

Mattel also reported steady Q1 results yesterday, with just a 1% dip in net sales (US$810 million) compared to the same period last year. CEO Ynon Kreiz says Babrie and Hot Wheels were the number-one properties in their respective categories, and the company is making meaningful progress towards expanding its entertainment offerings, with 15 new films currently in development.

Pictured left to right: Cory Bennett Lewis, Amy Suh and Sidney Clifton