The sinking feelings generated by Battleship don’t seem to have lingered long in the minds of studios, because toys are still considered hot properties for film fodder. Packing nostalgia and, er, durability into one tidy package, Tonka toys** is the next big target, this time for Sony, which is intending to turn the line of trucks and other vehicles into an animated adventure.
The Tonka line was originally created in 1947 and has long since become an enduring symbol of childhood. Hasbro snapped up the company back in 1991 and has hatched the current deal with Sony Pictures Animation and Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison company.
Fred Wolf, who is a regular writer around the Sandler camp (he brought us Grown Ups, among other things), is the man tasked with finding a way to make the Tonka products work as a film.
“In its 65 years, Tonka has become more than a toy or a brand; Tonka trucks are a rite of passage for kids all around the world,” says Sony Pictures Digital Production president Bob Osher. “Time spent with these toys creates memories that last a lifetime as kids are inspired to play using the boundaries of their imagination. We look forward to creating a family friendly motion picture that brings the Tonka experience to life.”