After blockbuster Barbie, Mattel gets Lily Collins to play Polly Pocket doll in new movie
Mattel is making plans to adapt Polly Pocket dolls brand for a movie starring Lily Collins. Photo: Getty Images
Following in the footsteps of Barbie, another beloved toy, Polly Pocket, is set to make its debut as a feature film. Mattel Inc's iconic doll, Polly Pocket, is getting its cinematic adaptation, with a script penned by Lena Dunham and Lily Collins taking on a leading role. Robbie Brenner, a Mattel executive, has praised Lena Dunham's script, describing it as "great."
With Barbie's success at the box office, it comes as no surprise that Mattel is expanding its cinematic universe to include other brands like Polly Pocket, Barney, American Girl, Hot Wheels, UNO, Magic 8 Ball, Thomas and Friends, with Polly Pocket being the latest addition to the movie roster.
Polly Pocket, a group of miniature-sized dolls and accessories by Mattel, lives up to its name with its pocket-sized dolls, playsets, playhouses, compacts, and more, making them the perfect option for portable play for kids.
In a recent interview with Variety, Robbie Brenner, the Barbie executive producer and Mattel executive, spoke highly of Lena Dunham's script for the Polly Pocket movie, hinting at it being a family comedy centered around the friendship between a young girl and a pocket-sized woman.
Regarding the collaboration with Lena Dunham, Brenner commented, "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 Collins, who will be starring in the movie, also received praise from Brenner, who said, "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." Clearly, Brenner holds both Lena Dunham and Lily Collins in high regard.
History of Polly Pocket
But what exactly are Polly Pocket dolls, and how did they come into existence?
Polly Pocket toys were originally created in the 1980s by Chris Wiggs as a special gift for his daughter, Kate. Wiggs, inspired by a makeup compact, envisioned a miniature dollhouse playset along with a Polly Pocket mini doll.
The first Polly Pocket toys hit store shelves in 1989 when Chris Wiggs collaborated with the England-based toy company 'Bluebird' toys to bring the first line of Polly Pocket mini toys to life. These mini toys quickly gained popularity, and Bluebird Toys licensed Polly Pocket.
In the 1990s, Mattel Inc, the American multinational toy company, brought Polly Pocket miniature toys to the US, where they became one of the best-selling toys for girls. Eventually, Mattel acquired the Polly Pocket toy line, redesigning the miniature, pocket-sized colorful dolls, dollhouses, and playsets we know and love today.
