Child's play: 20 films that are based on toys

The latest Barbie is made of anything but plastic. It's got Greta Gerwig directing, Margot Robbie starring, and enough pink to fill a girl's dressing room. We don't know if this movie will live up to the hype, but we can assume it will be better than previous adaptations. 

What does this movie have to do with the board game? I don't know...I mean, it doesn't even use the words "you sunk my battleship." It's got aliens, explosions, movie stars and not one thing in common with the game. 

This movie will have you cackling, cringing and jumping for joy. And it may even have you buying the board game after it's over. It's a game for nerds that now seems...cool? 

The O.G. movie which turned toys into franchises. Michael Bay took a toy that was already complex--a car that turned into a robot--and made it even more complex. With giant battles, aliens and crashing metal, he transformed the collection into a unit of destruction. 

A Swedish outdoorsman invented these dolls in the 50s and you gotta wonder what he was thinking when he made them. When these giant-haired dolls burst onto the screen, the last thing I think of is Christmas morning. They aren't exactly easy to gift, but they do make for fun characters in the movie. 

I know the original usually comes to mind, but don't sleep on the remake with Kevin Hart and Jack Black. The actors enter the game under different personalities, which allows them to spoof each other's personas. It's fun, adventurous and full of Hart. 

After many, many years, Batman finally got the adaptation he deserved. Well, if you don't count The Dark Knight. This is what fans had been waiting for, a blockbuster steeped in comic book lore, epic action sequences and giant laughs. All the pieces came together to form a complete picture of Batman. 

If a bunch of bears going on an adventure doesn't sound fun to you, you clearly haven't seen The Carebear Movie. One of the rare toys to became a sweet picture, these adorable creatures have been winning over hearts for decades. 

This has every element required in a toy adaptation: a love of the source material, a few good chuckles and a family-friendly vibe. It's not easy turning a card game into a picture, but throw in these elements and you give yourself a chance. It helps to have some stars in the deck, too. 

Yes, yes. We know. There wasn't a toy called Pinocchio when the novel was written, or even when the first movie came out. But this character is based on marionettes,and as such, is inspired by a very specific kind of toy. He's a marionette without strings, but clever audiences will see Disney pulling the heartstrings throughout. 

Another caveat: Tetris is inspired a video game, not a kid's toy. But name one person who didn't play Tetris as a kid and, well, we'll believe you. But we'd find it kind of strange. 

Woody! Buzz! Slinky! These are all variations on famous toys, which makes this movie kinda inspired by toys, but no singular model in particular. In their attempt to win Andy over, you can see your own childhood favorites, the toys you used to pretend were real and for your youthful brain, were real. Sort of. It's an ode to the childhood imagination that is steeped in childlike whimsy. 

Pretty crazy to think that a toy soldier got his own army of movies, especially since the character comes with almost no backstory. The writers had to come up with their own backstory based on a plastic figure. Plus, an 80's cartoon. It's no surprise that the result turned out to be hollow, plastic exercise in explosive nonsense. 

If the names He-Man or Eternia mean anything to you, you may have seen this silly extravaganza based on Mattel toys. They were huge in the 80s, spawning one of the most ridiculous movies ever made. This is pure cheese, with someone of the funniest one-liners you'll ever hear. 

Hands up if all the girls in your kindergarten class played with these toys. Same. Hands up if you still don't know why these ponies and their colorful adventures are so popular. Same again. I can see why girls like them, but how on Earth are they this popular? 

Now we come to the original. The movie that introduced me to Robin Williams (I think), this movie takes a board game and turns it into a sprawling blockbuster. The effects haven't aged well, but the only special effect you need is William's spry, indelible charm. 

What would happen if a toy Indian came to life? Would you freak out? Play with him? Learn valuable lessons about life? All these things happen in this cult classic. 

If you thought the Cabbage Patch Kids were weird, wait till you see these guys. They are hideous, obnoxious toys that make for a hideous, obnoxious movie. Who would have thought? 

Boy, are there some weird toys out there. No wonder there are so many weird toy adaptations like this one. 

The Lego Movie is a truly great movie that is hard to even call a "toy adaptation," because it's such a unique vision. Only one director could have made this happen--well, two, since it's directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller--and it's a treat to watch them build this masterpiece one piece at a time. Every brick is here for a reason. Every laugh is just a stepping stone for another laugh. It's a near-perfect spectacle with a wonderful design.