It might have been Greta Gerwig who, before Barbie fame, wrote and directed the 2019 adaptation of Little Women, but now fellow Mattel female powerhouse writer/director Lena Dunham is bringing an actual little woman to life on the big screen — Polly Pocket. Mattel announced that its next major doll to get the big screen treatment will be Polly Pocket, starring Emily in Paris' Lily Collins as the eponymous star, and Lena Dunham as the writer and director of the feature.
The update on the film's development came on the heels of the hoopla and excitement at Mattel over the box-office juggernaut that is Barbie, and the desire by the toy company to build on that film's breakout success.
Robbie Brenner, the head of Mattel Films, told Variety that the script is done and is “great.” She elaborate, “First of all, they are two of my favorite ladies ever,” Brenner said, speaking of Dunham and Collins. “It’s been an amazing collaboration. Lena is so collaborative and rolls up her sleeves and really likes to roll around in notes and listen. She’s incredible. Lily is so smart and so specific and so productorial. It’s just been an incredible collaboration, so we are thrilled about it. Hopefully, we’ll be making that at some point in the future.”
The production schedule and release date are in limbo due to the ongoing writers' and actors' strike.
Earlier, when Polly Pocket was first announced, both Collins and Dunham spoke about what the project means to them personally.
Collins posted on Instagram, “As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pockets, it’s a real dream come true to announce this project! I am partnering with the most inspiring powerhouse team… to reintroduce Polly to the world in a fun, modern way… bringing these tiny toys to the big screen. Truly so excited to be coming on as both a producer and Polly herself! Can’t wait to dive into this pastel world…”
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Dunham, meanwhile, said in a statement to Variety that “Polly Pocket was responsible for countless hours of childhood escapism for me – Polly gave me a tiny world of magic and autonomy to narrate, so it’s pretty poetic to be tackling these same ideas now as a director.”
Dunham added, “I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart playful films that speak to them without condescension.”
In another interview about the project, Dunham told the Hollywood Reporter, “We have a lot of fun with the idea of what happens when a small person encounters a big world.”
Sounds like the Polly Pocket adaptation will strive to have a bit of the same subversive edge that Barbie had. Mattel undoubtedly hopes it will be the next big thing, while still staying true to its tiny roots.
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