David Farnor | On 29, Jun 2023

Why did the world suddenly treat stuffed animals like gold? Apple TV+ is bursting The Beanie Bubble this July, joining
Flamin’ Hot and Air in Hollywood’s growing wave of brand-inspired biopics.

Ty Warner was a frustrated toy salesman until his collaboration with three women grew his masterstroke of an idea into the biggest toy craze in history. The Beanie Bubble is an inventive story about what and who we value, and the unsung heroes whose names didn’t appear on the heart-shaped tag.

The film is co-directed by Kristin Gore (Saturday Night Live, Futurama) and Damian Kulash (OK Go) from a script by Gore, based on the book The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute. In front of the camera, Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks will lead a star-studded cast that includes Sarah Snook (Succession) and Geraldine Viswanathan (Hala). You can see them in action on 28th July, when the film premieres on Apple TV+.

Here’s the trailer:

 

Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks to star in Apple’s The Beanie Bubble

12th January 2022

Apple Original Films has snapped up The Beanie Bubble, a new film starring Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook and Geraldine Viswanathan.

The film is co-directed by Kristin Gore (Saturday Night Live, Futurama) and Damian Kulash (OK Go). It is inspired by the story behind one of the biggest speculative crazes that blazed through American culture in the 90s. It pulls back the curtain on the absurdities and injustices of the American Dream — particularly the female relationship to it. It’s a celebration of the women who helped power Ty Warner’s success, whose strengths and good instincts shaped and amplified the phenomenon, but whose names are not on the Beanie Babies’ heart-shaped tags.

Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks will lead a star-studded cast that includes Sarah Snook (Succession) and Geraldine Viswanathan (Hala). The film is written by Gore, based on the book The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute. Gore also co-directs alongside Kulash. The married directing duo developed the story together. In addition to starring, Galifianakis serves as executive producer.

The project is produced by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Karen Lunder, president of Imagine Features, and marks the first film order to hail from an exclusive first-look deal between Apple and Imagine Entertainment for scripted films.

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