When it comes to appealing to children, Hollywood is nothing if not uncreative and prone to copycatting. If there exists an old toy or cartoon (or preferably both) lying around, some writer will come up with a way to cram it on to the big screen. Recently we were introduced to the horrific and nightmarish teaser trailer for The Smurfs. Now we learn that another short, ridiculous doll from the past will grace us in film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dreamworks is planning a movie based on the Good Luck Trolls or Troll Dolls. You know, the things with big eyes and crazy Don King-like hair that you used to buy, laugh at for two seconds, then forget about. Yeah, they’re going to be made into a movie.
Dreamworks, who is at least responsible for the first, good Shrek, partnered with Troll rights controller Dam Things to get the production rolling along. Troll dolls have been around going on fifty years after fisherman Thomas Dam invented them in 1959. They gained popularity almost immediately. Because of a copyright screw up a bunch of knockoffs flooded US markets over the years, though Dam Things recently regained its grip on the rights, making a stupid movie like this possible.
Get ready to start seeing the Troll Dolls (I really thought they were gone for good) hit the market and curio cabinets again in a big way. Hollywood’s next idea? “Beanie Babies: The Movie.”
