Greta Gerwig will be the director of the eagerly awaited 2023 Barbie movie. This is after she was a co-writer in the live-action movie adaptation in July 2019. Candy-hued snaps were already causing a stir on Instagram when the filming began in March 2022.
The Greta Gerwin Barbie film is already setting the stage for new adaptations; Mattal and MGM confirmed in 2021 that a Polly Pocket movie is already in the making, with Lena Dunham as screenwriter and director.
But aside from the 60s outfits and platinum locks, what is the Barbie movie about? As she dawns her impressive director’s hat once again, here's a dive into everything we know about Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie 2023.
The Cast
Margot Robbie was confirmed to take up the lead role as the Mattel doll in January 2019. If the pictures circulating on the internet are anything to go by, Robbie will be rocking an all-pink ensemble, which she can definitely pull off, judging from her "Wolf of Wall Street" wardrobe.
Ryan Gosling joined the Greta Gerwig Barbie cast in October 2021 as Ken, the plastic partner to the Margot Robbie Barbie.
Ariana Greenblatt is also set to star in the new Barbie Movie. The fresh-faced 15-year-old already boasts an impressive resume, appearing as young Gamora in Avengers Infinity War before going on to star in Awake and in In The Heights.
Also Expected to partner with Adam Driver from 65 and with Cate Blanchett from Borderlands, Ariana Greenblatt is expected to bring life into the Barbie movies.
Simu Liu was confirmed to be in the Barbie cast in early 2021, soon after enjoying the much-deserved success in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings. According to Simu, Barbie movies are his next move on the big screens while he finds his way onto Hollywood's "round table."
Intriguingly, Emma Mackey from Sex Education also signed up for a yet-to-be-revealed role next to Ncuti Gatwa. There are also rumors that Robbie's doppelganger could make an appearance in the movie Barbie as one of the three younger sisters to Barbie, Skipper, Chelsea, and Stacie.
Other notable cast members include America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, and Hari Nef.
Ryan Gosling’s Role?
Ryan Gosling claims he is thrilled to have landed the role in Greta Gerwig Barbie. The La La Land star noted that the new Barbie movie made him "feel seen" while jokingly promoting Netflix's The Gray Man.
"This role will make all Kens who watch it feel seen and appreciated; I gotta do it for the Kens," said Ryan as he compared Barbie's plot to The Gray Man.
Ken is going through a more challenging time than The Gray Man; he has no car, job, or house. "Ken is definitely a more demanding role, but it's worth all it has asked of me," said Gosling.
Saoirse Ronan Not in Barbie?
Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan was expected to feature in Barbie, but it seems Ronan couldn't make this one. There are a few reasons Ronan can’t join Barbie's cast; first, she is in the middle of filming The Outrun alongside Paapa Essiedu. Second, she recently completed filming See How They Run, the whodunnit comedy.
"I was gutted I couldn't do it," remarked Ronan as she explained the "other Barbie role" she had to play in London, making her too busy to be included in the Barbie cast.
What Is the Barbie Movie About?
Robbie has been the producer of the Warner Bros. Barbie film since 2019, with Baumbach and Gerwig taking up screenwriting roles. While they have done an excellent job at keeping the plot under wraps, we are well acquainted with Barbie's star-studded cast.
Talking to a Hollywood reporter, Robbie teased that Barbie would be "the thing viewers didn't know they wanted."
The Barbie Movie 2023 will be centered around a doll who's forced out of Barbie Land for her "imperfections," setting out a course of self-discovery for the doll and a realization that perfection can only be found within.
The doll, whose full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, Hails from a town in Wisconsin (fictional) and has been employed more than 200 times, ranging from a firefighter to surgeon and CEO. She was separated from Ken in 2004 before their reunion in 2011.
It looks like the Barbie director will be referencing the Hot Skatin' Barbie from 1994 in depicting the different iterations of the doll over the years, but Robbie will undoubtedly put her own spin on things.
The Wardrobe
The wardrobe is one of the most notable Barbiecore trends, though we are still a year from the Barbie movie release date. With assistance from Pierpaolo's Valentino Pink PP autumn/winter 2022 collection, Gerwig has been credited with launching the acclaimed Barbicore trend.
Jacqueline Durran, the Oscar-winning costume designer, is behind Robbie and Gosling's internet-breaking wardrobe. Jacqueline Duran previously collaborated with Gerwig to produce Little Women's Wardrobe, which triggered a prairie dress resurgence. Duran is also behind the Chanel looks for Kristen Stewart in Spencer.
The fashion inspiration of the silver screen is one thing we’re sure to get plenty of in the new movie. It’s already clear Barbie is going to be rocking her amazing range of accessories throughout the movie, including her many pink hats!
No Crying in Barbie Land?
Emma Mackey, the breakout star in Sex Education, promises that Barbie will be a pure comedy without tears shed on-screen or in theater audiences.
Openly excited about the movie Barbie premiere, Emma claimed it was great working with heroes (Barbie director Gerwig and doppelganger Margot Robbie).
She is excited to work with Margot Robbie, and while she doesn't mind the comparisons, she claims it's about time people moved past that.
The Official Trailer
The trailer for Margot Robbie’s Barbie movie is a candy-colored delight. It begins with an artificial voiceover detailing the creation of the Barbie doll, with Margot Robbie's first footage in character featuring in panoramic view.
The trailer depicts her pastel-hued world with Ryan Gosling and Ncuti in dubious outfits, Simu Liu dancing, and Robbie rocking her pink glitter at the center of an extravagant musical hymn. It definitely makes it harder to wait till the Barbie movie release date.
The Barbie Movie Release Date
Warner Bros officially announced The Margot Robbie Barbie movie would be in cinemas from July 21, 2023, at the CinemaCon 2022.