India, July 9 -- Jon M. Chu is trading broomsticks for burning rubber. The Wicked: Part One (2024) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) filmmaker is officially set to direct a live-action Hot Wheels movie for Warner Bros. Inspired by Mattel's iconic toys, the film will feature "some of the world's hottest and sleekest vehicles," according to the press release. While plot details are still under wraps, this announcement marks yet another major move in Mattel's toy-to-film universe. After Greta Gerwig's Barbie (2023) became a billion-dollar cultural juggernaut, the studio has been diving deep into its toy box, with Barney, Polly Pocket, Uno, and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots all getting big-screen treatments.

Chu, whose Wicked recently soared past $700...