The Bratz are headed to rehab, courtesy of Hollywood, the New York Times reports.

Since introducing the line of overtly sexy dolls in 2001, the toy maker MGA Entertainment has sold over 150 million Bratz around the world, giving Mattel’s Barbie a migraine and spawning an empire that stretches from animated direct-to-DVD movies to a line of clothes.

But negative public perception has prevented the Bratz from blossoming into a full-scale entertainment phenomenon. Parents and child advocacy groups have long argued that the dolls, with their fishnet stockings, pouty lips and micro-mini skirts, encourage pre-adolescent sexuality.

With “Bratz: The Movie,” MGA and Lionsgate want to change that image. The live-action film, produced by Avi Arad (“Spider-Man”) and Paula Abdul, to be released on Aug. 3, portrays the four characters as misunderstood teenage prodigies who decipher complicated algebra problems and apply lip gloss with the same gusto. They volunteer to do household chores and chirp lines like, “My mom is my hero.”

“The goal is to broaden the appeal by demonstrating to parents and children alike that there is more to these characters than what they think,” said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. Mr. Arad, who until recently served as chief executive of Marvel Studios, added: “The one thing we didn’t want is for this movie to be sassy.”

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