Mattel misprints porn website link on its 'Wicked' dolls, thousands pulled from shelves

The 'Wicked' doll from Mattel with the inadvertent link error. (Image credit: @just2goodYT/X)

Global toy company Mattel has found itself at the center of a controversy after a printing error on its “Wicked” doll packaging linked to a pornographic website instead of the official movie site. Following the glaring error, Mattel issued an apology and pulled thousands of the dolls from shelves across the US to prevent further exposure to young customers.

The error was flagged by concerned parents and social media users on X, who noted that instead of leading to details about the highly anticipated film, the link brings up a page restricted to audiences aged 18 and above.

In a statement to media houses on Sunday, the company apologised for the error.

“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” the company said.

The statement continued, “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children.”

LMAO Universal pictures put the wrong website for @wickedmovie on the back of their dolls for kids. It leads to a porn website #Wicked pic.twitter.com/agD48yHltVStuntman Mike (@Stuntman_Mik3) November 10, 2024

The “Wicked” movie stars like singer Ariana Grande and Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo and the film reimagines the backstory of "The Wizard of Oz" and is set to be released in two parts. The first installment is slated for a November 22 release, while the second part is expected to hit theatres in November 2025.