Children of the '80s and '90s, you're about to have a great day. Lena Dunham has announced she'll be directing a live-action movie based on one of your favorite toys — Polly Pocket!
Dunham, the creator, director and star behind the edgy HBO hit "Girls" and low-budget independent film "Tiny Furniture," is going in a slightly different direction this time in bringing the children's toy to life. "Emily In Paris" star Lily Collins is set to star and produce.
Now, we have questions!
Why Dunham?
Well, turns out the writer/director/actor, 35, was firing up her imagination for her showbiz future by playing with the dolls and the sets they came with that she did as a child.
"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 collaborating with the brilliant Lily Collins, Robbie Brenner, Mattel and MGM," she said in a statement.
"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," Dunham added.
What is a Polly Pocket?
Well, in case you weren't playing with toys at that time, here's a quick refresher: The toys were originally plastic cases that opened up to reveal a playing scenario — a dollhouse, for example. The little Pocket figurines were meant to fit into holes in the case where they could stand. In 1998, the Polly Pocket line underwent a redesign and became more realistic and fashion-forward; boy dolls were also added. After more evolutions over the years, the line was discontinued by 2015, but vintage items can be worth a lot on eBay. In 2018, they were being manufactured again.
Haven't they done this before?
Well, this won't be the first Polly Pocket film; there have been three animated direct-to-DVD movies produced between 2003-06, and adaptations for TV have been attempted over the years. Right now, there are Polly Pocket episodes on YouTube and Netflix, too.
And this will hardly be the first children's toy to be adapted into a movie — just think of "Transformers," "The Lego Movie," or "Battleship."
Collins is clearly all in with her new role, posting an Instagram of herself as a child on Thursday to celebrate the announcement:
"As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pockets, it's a real dream come true to announce this project!" she wrote in the caption. "I am partnering with the most inspiring powerhouse team — Robbie Brenner, @lenadunham, @mattel and @mgmstudios — 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…"
And she's already gotten emoji love and comments from fellow celebs like Bethenny Frankel ("YAY!!!") and Mary Steenburgen for a start. Seems lots of people out there are true Polly Pocket believers!
