Hollywood has found box-office magic with an unexpected muse: Barbie. This fresh spark is evidenced by the tremendous triumph of the Barbie movie. Taking a successful detour away from the toy aisles, the film took the box office by storm and has since been hailed as the biggest hit of 2023 so far. As moviegoers and critics alike now revel in the endearing afterglow of this charming cinematic adventure, Hollywood and social media are already abuzz about the next toy-to-big-screen adaptation of a beloved Mattel toy line. That’s right, Mattel just announced a Polly Pocket movie, and following the announcement, moviegoers have all the jokes.
If the '90s were your childhood, you'd likely remember the delight of engaging with Polly Pocket toys or their male-focused counterpart, Mighty Max. These petite playsets housed tiny figurines perfectly sized to fit into your palm, delivering heaps of joy. Variety reported that Mattel Films is keen on transforming this beloved toy line into a cinematic treasure. A movie adaptation of Polly Pocket, with Lily Collins cast as the tiny doll, is currently in the works at MGM, with Lena Dunham of "Girls" fame serving as the writer and director. As soon as the news of Polly making her silver screen debut was announced, Twitter exploded with some hilarious reactions.
Twitter user @MikeBeauvais shared a perfectly fitting meme from the hit show 30 Rock. This post showcases an imagined humorous exchange between Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon, and her superior, Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy, as they speculate about the intriguing prospects of future Mattel-inspired movies. The user made up a funny conversation between the two about the upcoming movie, posting:
“The studios want to capitalize on Barbie’s success, Lemon. Lily Collins will star as Polly Pocket in a Lena Dunham movie. Taika Waititi is making a Furby film with Ansel Elgort. We’ve got Werner Herzog directing a Street Sharks movie. Nobody even knows what that is, Lemon.”
Another Twitter user, @MrDrewLandry, continued with the Barbenheimer trend, which even Quentin Tarantino got caught up in, posting an image of Cillian Murphy's titular character after he realized the horrifying effects of his actions. This person used the image to show how they think Barbie director Greta Gerwig is coming to grips with the potential expansion of the Mattel cinematic universe. Frankly, this particular meme does tickle my dark sense of humor, as the user wrote:
Greta Gerwig realizing she accidentally paved the way for Lena Dunham’s “Polly Pocket” movie
Basking in the wave of nostalgia, though with a slight hiccup, @ChloeAL10 took to Twitter to express their mixed feelings about the announcement. It seems they're thrilled about the idea of a Pocket movie but less enthusiastic about the involvement of the creator of Girls. Do your sentiments align with the image below?
Polly Pocket movie Directed bystarring Lily Collins Lena Dunham pic.twitter.com/GbrbjtvGg9July 27, 2023
Meanwhile, @charleyonhere’s joke literally made me laugh out loud, but admittedly, it's a bit of a deep cut. For those not quite up to speed with Dunham's portfolio, she first garnered attention with her independent breakthrough film, Tiny Furniture. Here's hoping the meme below is still funny, even with the explanation.
-Lena Dunham is making a Polly Pocket movie. -Wow. She really does like Tiny Furniture pic.twitter.com/XZLZxjlpA0July 26, 2023
In 2018, amid a turbulent period marked by falling toy sales, Mattel initiated a leadership reshuffle, welcoming new CEO Ynon Kreiz. Kreiz, a veteran in the business world, carried a bold vision of transforming the acclaimed toy conglomerate into a powerhouse propelled by intellectual property, leading to the creation of a dedicated Mattel film division. The remarkable success of Barbie has indeed carved a path for Mattel to explore any sphere they wish to conquer, and the toy giant already has an impressive roster of 14 projects in progress in collaboration with notable partners. In addition to Polly Pocket, other major film projects in the pipeline include a Barney movie produced by Daniel Kaluuya and a “gritty and grounded” take on Hot Wheels, produced by J.J. Abrams.
No matter where you stand on Matell’s Polly Pocket movie announcement, one thing is for sure: they mean business when it comes to turning toy-based properties into cinematic gold. With Barbie's astounding box office victory, the other projects might just silence the jokes once they hit the big screen.
Barbie continues its theatrical run, so check your local showtimes to see when you can see it. Currently, there's no official statement about any of Mattel's film lineup making the 2024 movie schedule. Rest assured, we will update you if there are any announcements.
