Barbie Goes Hollywood

Barbie is the most recent toy to receive a Hollywood deal for a live-action movie.

Universal Pictures has released home video Barbie movies in the past, but this will be the first live-action movie.

Recently Universal has gained the rights for a movie based on the Mattel dolls. The producer will be Laurence Mark who has also produced "Dreamgirls" and "Jerry Maguire".

Richard Dickson and Rob Hudnut will be the executive producers and coincidently are already Mattel executives.

The Barbie movie will follow other toy-based hits such as "G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and the "Transformers" movies

Barbie was introduced at the 1959 toy fair in New York. Barbie, whose full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, was created by Ruth Handler.

Bild Lilli, a German sex doll, was the basis of Barbie's design.

Similar rights for Mattel toy He-Man, has also been negotiated with rival studio Sony.