Waterpark plans, a Barbie game on Roblox, a Thomas relaunch, Bluey across five brands, and the Hot Wheels Class of Legends cars still listed on Mattel Creations.
Bellevue is first in line for Mattel Wonder
Mattel corporate news, October 1, 2026.
Mattel said on October 1, 2026, that Bellevue, Nebraska, will be the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, planned to open at the end of 2027. The company described an approximately 100,000-square-foot, year-round destination that puts Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, UNO and other Mattel brands into attractions, play, food and shared experiences. American Resort Management, which also operates Epic Waters and Wild Rivers, will handle day-to-day performance and guest flow.
Natalia Premovic, chief consumer products and experiences officer, said the parks are meant to take immersive entertainment beyond a handful of major markets. Four of five planned North American sites are confirmed: Bellevue, Orlando, Bradley, Illinois, and Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Bellevue’s plan includes a Barbie activity pool and FlowRider surf simulator, a Hot Wheels “Challenge Accepted” multi-slide tower, a lazy river inspired by UNO, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots and Magic 8 Ball, and a Fisher-Price water play structure.
Mattel corporate news. The company dated the post September 24, 2026.
Mattel Game Studios, with Roblox and developer Exclusible, said Barbie DreamStyle is available now. Players team up with as many as three friends, pick a scene and a theme, and have five minutes to build a look before a vote. The experience was developed with Roblox designer Dioncella, known for Dress to Impress. Mattel’s news listing dates the announcement to September 24, 2026.
The launch notes call out more than 260 outfits with color, pattern, size, shape and layering changes, plus body types, skin tones and hair textures. Six scenes are playable at the start, with more than 50 theme challenges. Photo Mode and a free dress-up mode sit alongside a social hub. Likes and stars unlock rewards, currency and shop items, with bonuses for playing with friends. Sean Thompson, vice president of Mattel Game Studios, said the goal was a fashion game that feels authentic both to Barbie and to Roblox.
On September 17, 2026, Mattel launched Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories, starting with the 30-minute special Really Helpful Engines. It was already on YouTube and set for Netflix on September 30. Henry Golding narrates in English and Karla Souza in Spanish. The story puts Thomas, Percy and Rosie with a new crane truck, Deepak. The series is planned for early 2027. Animation services are by Brown Bag Films.
Alongside the special, a new toy line is in stores now: Easy Connect track and engines with magnetic connectors, including motorized and larger-scale engines. Mattel said it covers 26 characters and is meant to build faster, with less frustration. A free High Line pop-up in New York was set for October 2, 5 to 7 p.m., with a life-size Thomas and a screening. Ted Wu, global head of vehicles and building sets, called it an 80-year franchise refreshed for preschoolers.
Mattel and BBC Studios announced a multi-year licensing deal on September 15, 2026, that brings Bluey to Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Polly Pocket and UNO beginning this fall. Little People figures and playsets are set to include Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, Chilli and more. Barbie Cutie Reveal will dress dolls as Bluey and Bingo characters. Polly Pocket compacts, Hot Wheels vehicles and UNO card games each get their own take.
Nick Karamanos, head of entertainment partnerships at Mattel, said the show’s appeal is ordinary play: creativity, laughter and the people you love. Suzy Raia, executive vice president of global consumer products at BBC Studios, called Mattel’s portfolio a fit for extending that spirit. The release notes the series was created by Joe Brumm and produced by Ludo Studio, and that The Bluey Movie is set for cinemas on August 6, 2027.
Mattel Creations product image. The campaign announcement is dated August 28, 2026.
This one sits just before the late-September window. On August 28, 2026, Hot Wheels introduced Challenge Accepted and its first Class of Legends: Maluma, Supercar Blondie and Robert Lewandowski. Each co-designed a 1:64 car for the 2026 Global Legends Collection, which Mattel said was available to pre-order on Mattel Creations. The cars named that day were Maluma’s Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60, Supercar Blondie’s Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 “Lucy,” and Lewandowski’s ’97 Porsche 911 GT1.
The Maluma FJ60 product page (JWK47) lists the car at $25 and says it ships on or before February 19, 2027. The page describes a red ZAMAC body, Real Riders off-road wheels, a zinc-plated chassis, Colombian-flag colors, “La Matrona” across the windshield, and a custom “MLM 994” plate. Hot Wheels also said it is donating $100,000 to Maluma’s foundation, El Arte de los Sueños.
