Emily in Paris star Lily Collins' new movie Polly Pocket has received a disappointing update, with director Lena Dunham exiting the project.
Following the success of Greta Gerwig's Barbie, it was announced that Mattel would develop a film around the nostalgic toy – with Collins set to star as Polly herself.
Speaking to The New Yorker, Dunham has now explained that the film wasn't the right project for her, despite working on the script for three years.
"I'm not going to make the Polly Pocket movie. I wrote a script, and I was working on it for three years," she said.
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"But I remember someone once said to me about Nancy Meyers: the thing that's the most amazing about her is that the movie she makes or the movie she would be making with or without a studio, with or without notes – that somehow her taste manages to intersect perfectly with that the world wants.
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"What a f***ing gift that is. And Nora Ephron, too, who was such a mentor to me, but always said, 'Go be weird. Don't kowtow to anyone.'"
The Girls creator went on to praise Gerwig for her "incredible feat" with Barbie, which she said "was to make this thing that was literally candy to so many different kinds of people and was perfectly and divinely Greta."
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She added: "I felt like, unless I can do it that way, I'm not going to do it. I don't think I have that in me. I feel like the next movie I make needs to feel like a movie that I absolutely have to make. No one but me could make it. And I did think other people could make Polly Pocket."
Despite Dunham's departure, Mattel has shared its hopes to continue developing the movie.
A spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter: "Polly Pocket is in active development, and we look forward to sharing updates on the project soon. Lena is a remarkable writer and creator, and we wish her all the best!"
Polly Pocket isn't the only nostalgic toy hitting the big screen, with Mattel also developing a live-action film based on the American Girl dolls.
Polly Pocket doesn't have a release date yet.
Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
