Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith Join as Screenwriters for the Live-Action ‘Monster High’ Film

Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith Join ‘Monster High’ Film Team

Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith have been signed on to write the live-action adaptation of Monster High for Mattel Studios, Universal Pictures, and Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road Productions. This marks a significant development in the project, following the appointment of Gerard Johnstone, known for directing the M3GAN films, as director in June 2025.

Initially announced a year ago, the upcoming film will be produced by Robbie Brenner, President and Chief Content Officer of Mattel Studios, alongside Goldsman. The production team also includes Darian Greenbaum and Greg Lessans from Mattel and Weed Road, respectively, while Lexi Barta and Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project for Universal Pictures.

Details regarding the plot remain undisclosed. The Monster High franchise began in 2010 through a series of dolls and centers on a fictional high school for the teenage offspring of famous monsters, including Draculaura, Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, and Cleo de Nile. Known for promoting inclusivity and individuality, the franchise has since expanded into an animated web series, television specials, films, and books.

Hafey and Smith are recognized up-and-coming writers in the industry, each having appeared on the annual Black List three times. Their latest spec script, Entertaining, was featured on this year’s list. Their project Rachel Nevada is currently in development at Paramount, with support from Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort. Additionally, they wrote St. Mary’s Catholic School Presents The Vagina Monologues for Amazon Studios, directed by Tanya Wexler and produced by Di Novi Pictures.

On the television front, the duo also sold the series Misfit City to HBO Max, with Boom! Studios attached as producers. They are represented by Gersh and Jack Greenbaum at The Arlook Group.

Currently, Mattel Studios has marked its calendar for one live-action film following Barbie: Masters of the Universe, set to premiere in North America on June 5. An additional project, a Matchbox movie featuring John Cena, is also expected to be released this year.