Justin Lin Tapped to Direct Hot Wheels Movie

Justin Lin has kept busy in Hollywood, directing films like Star Trek: Beyond and the well-received Fast and Furious 6. Now, Lin will bring his talents to cars that are a little bit smaller. The director has closed a deal with Legendary Entertainment to develop and direct a Hot Wheels project based on the line of Mattel toys, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the project has been in the works since 2003. Even now, the film is still in early development stages and is not going to be Lin’s next movie. Hot Wheels has been an incredibly successful toy brand since its launch in 1968, and now Mattel is attempting to throw its hat into the film arena. The toy company has a full-blown cinematic universe in the works, as it also has Max Steel, which opens in October, and is developing Barbie and Monster High as feature projects, as well.

Like many projects in recent Hollywood history, Mattel is using its existing brands to capitalize on a movie-going audience that is more likely to see something that comes from recognizable source material. Some such films have panned out better than others, but Lin’s presence may signal that there is something more to this project. Of course, he may also just like money.