Mattel Creations, Driver Digital Studios Expands Partnership with Launch of New Thomas & Friends Content

36d46e95-f1c0-4e85-9943-105c41514bf3Mattel Creations is expanding its partnership with Driver Digital Studios to produce live-action Thomas & Friends digital content inspired by fans’ user generated content. The content is curated and produced using the Thomas Creator Collective (TCC), a team of Thomas & Friends fans and amateur filmmakers from across the globe, including the U.S., the UK, Australia, Chile, and Japan.

During the initial phase, Driver Digital’s creative and production teams engaged with the TCC to create 14 pieces of original, live-action videos, first debuted on the Thomas & Friends YouTube channel last November. Since then, the series has collectively resulted in more than 21 million views and 56 million minutes of content, which has surpassed more than 529 million views to date. The new Thomas content is the latest collaboration for Mattel and Driver Digital, who also debuted the ongoing digital lifestyle series, AG Life, last year, inspired by the American Girl brand.

The TCC content ties closely to the Thomas & Friends core theme of friendship, and incorporates favorite and new engine characters and destinations around the Island of Sodor. This year, TCC content takes inspiration from the spring Thomas & Friends home entertainment title, Start Your Engines, and the upcoming fall feature movie, The Great Race.

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik was the Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book from 2020-2022. She was also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.

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