First manufactured as a wallpaper cleaner in the 30s, a modeling compound known as Play-Doh is coming soon to a theater near you, per a recent report inDeadline. Hasbro and entertaintmentOne (eOne) announced on March 17 that they are mounting aPlay-Dohanimated feature film. Written by the writer ofThe Big Sick,Emily V. Gordon, it will be produced (and possibly directed) by Jon M. Chu, best known as the director of 2018’sCrazy Rich Asians.Play-Doh is the number one arts and crafts toy brand sold in over 80 countries. “The team looks forward to bringing the audience a moldable, pliable, iconically scented story about the importance of imagination,” Chu and Gordon told Deadline.Gordon, married toEternalsactor Kumail Nanjiani, is best known as the producer and writer of the Oscar-nominated original screenplayThe Big Sick, loosely based on the couple’s relationship. She also co-created Apple TV+‘sLittle America. On Thursday, Marcy 17th, Gordon tweeted, “Jon and I had a series of conversations about creativity, imagination, and the purpose of art that were so fun and juicy that I knew I had to do this. I’ll get to use some of my play therapist training too, maybe….” âââââ âââââ
Chu directed the first major Hollywood film to feature a primarily Asian cast in a modern setting since 1993’sThe Joy Luck Club.He is also known as the director of 2021’sIn the Heightsand 2015’sJem and the Holograms. Chu also has other experience directing films based on toy products, having directedG.I. Joe: Retaliation. According to People, onhis Instagram Story, Chu said, “How cool is it that I get to play with @emilyvgordon and the rest of our #ElectricSomewhere team for this animated event!!”
When Marketing Meets Movies
Hasbro first wanted to bring Play-Doh to the big screen in 2015. That year,Hasbro Studios and 20th Century Fox announcedthey were working on a film based on the multicolored, moldable compound and Hasbro’s subsidiary company Allspark Pictures and Chernin Entertainment producing. The 2015Play-Dohmovie was going to be directed byBridesmaidsandSpydirector Paul Feig through his production company Feigco, with Jason Micallef writing the script. Now, eOne is joining forces with Gordon and Chu to revive thePlay-Dohmovie.
This becomes the latest example of branded products jumping to the big screen. People mocked Warner Brothers for producingThe Lego Movie. But with Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and an incredibly talented cast on board for the $60 million films, it grossed $658 million worldwide and got a fantastic sequel and spinoff, thanks to Will Arnett’s role as the first Emo Batman (sorry, Robert Pattinson, butLego Batmancame first).
There is also 1988’sMac and Me, which is much maligned and notorious for being one of the worst movies ever made because of the blatant Coca-Cola and McDonald’s product placement throughout the movie. Although that movie even has a good side (and it isn’t just the film’sMystery Science Theater 3000episode), it also has to do with its place in disability film history.Mac and Mewas a “huge deal” in 1988 because “it marked one of the exceptionally few times in film history where a disabled actor had secured a role for a character that wasn’t ‘written disabled’ and didn’t have the disability made into a defining character trait or plot element.”
What will thePlay-Dohmovie bring to the table? Lance Johnson and Jane Lee will oversee the newPlay-Dohmovie at Chu’s Electric Somewhere banner. Gordon will also executive produce. Joining her are eOne’s Jillian Share, Chanel Vidal, and Steven Holster.
