It might be a little while before Barbie will be parking her pink convertible in UK cinemas, but the first live-action movie based on the iconic doll is beginning to shape up nicely.
Warner Bros’ has given fans their first glimpse of Margot Robbie as the titular Barbie, with bleach-blonde hair and an all-pink Barbie car, as well as a look at Ryan Gosling as Ken – and he’s also sporting plenty of blonde hair, tan and denim.
The Harley Quinn actress, who has teamed up with Warner Bros and Mattel not only as the film’s main star but also co-producer, told Variety: “Playing with Barbie promotes confidence, curiosity and communication throughout a child’s journey to self-discovery.
“Over the brand’s almost 60 years, Barbie has empowered kids to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president. I’m so honoured to take on this role and produce a film that I believe will have a tremendously positive impact on children and audiences worldwide.”
Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros Pictures Group, said Robbie was “the ideal producer and actress to bring Barbie to life on screen in a fresh and relevant way for today’s audiences.”
But it appears that Robbie won’t be the only Barbie in town. It’s rumoured that Issa Rae and Hari Nef will also be playing different versions of Barbie and that Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa will be playing different versions of Ken as well.
#BARBIE
— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) April 26, 2022
July 21, 2023
Only in theaters pic.twitter.com/mauCGpizD1
Ladybird’s Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) co-wrote the script, with Gerwig set to direct the film.
Read on for everything you need to know about the live-action adaptation of Barbie.
Barbie movie release date
Barbie is set to drive into cinemas on 21st July 2023.
Robbie confirmed the live-action film adaptation in July 2019, with Gerwig and Baumbach co-writing the script. Gerwig was later announced to be helming the project.
The film was originally in development at Sony from 2014, with Amy Schumer previously attached to star in the movie.
Schumer departed due to “scheduling conflicts” for her film I Feel Pretty, before later revealing there had been creative differences behind the scenes for the vision of Barbie.
“They definitely didn’t want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. She added that she wanted Barbie to be an “ambitious inventor,” but Mattel and the studio allegedly were insistent that this invention be high heels made of Jell-O.
After going around in circles in development at Sony, Barbie headed over to Warner Bros in 2018, with Robbie headlining the new production.
Barbie movie cast
The following cast members are set to appear in the Barbie movie.
- Margot Robbie as Barbie
- Ryan Gosling as Ken
- America Ferrera
- Simu Liu
- Kate McKinnon
- Ariana Greenblatt
- Alexandra Shipp
- Emma Mackey
- Kingsley Ben-Adir
- Issa Rae
- Michael Cera
- Rhea Perlman
- Will Ferrell
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Emerald Fennell
- Hari Nef
- Sharon Rooney
- Scott Evans
- Ana Cruz Kayne
- Connor Swindells
- Ritu Arya
- Jamie Demetriou
Margot Robbie will star as one version of the world’s most famous doll, while Ryan Gosling will portray one version of Ken.
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It has been rumoured that Assassination Nation’s Hari Nef and Insecure’s Issa Rae will appear as other versions of Barbie and that Marvel star Simu Liu and Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa will triple Ken, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Liu previously told Vanity Fair that he didn’t want to be typecast following his role in Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings.”
“I was like, ‘If I don’t have something ready to go, it’s going to be “Simu is Shang-Chi,” and that’s it,’” he said. “I still feel very much like I’m an outsider in Hollywood…but I’m starting to realize I don’t have to prove to anyone or myself that I deserve to be here.
“Taking up this space and being unapologetic — these things came a lot easier to me back in the day, when I didn’t have a seat at the table. I was playing a very different game, but I think I’m slowly finding that courage again.”
Legendary comic star Will Ferrell has also entered the Barbie world and will portray the CEO of a toy company.
The rest of the cast includes Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Alexandra Shipp, Sex Education‘s Emma Mackey, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman, Jamie Demetriou and Emerald Fennell.
What is the Barbie movie about?
The plot is still being kept under wraps, but as detailed above, it’s been rumoured that there will be multiple versions of Barbie and Ken.
Could fans be in for a Barbie multiverse?
This would of course be on-brand for Barbie – which has created many dolls over the years that have celebrated people of all different genders, shapes, sizes and ethnicities.
Robbie previously teased to The Hollywood Reporter that “Barbie” will be “the thing you didn’t know you wanted.”
Is there a trailer for the Barbie movie?
Sadly, there isn’t a trailer for the Barbie movie yet.
But watch this space!
Barbie arrives in cinemas on 21st July 2023. Visit our Movies hub for more news and features or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide.
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