Barbie (2023)

[SeanC]

Greta Gerwig's quasi-autobiographical Lady Bird was a smashingly successful directorial debut, which she followed up with the innovative, moving adaptation of Little Women. Next up:  a Mattel toy adaptation? With a screenplay she co-wrote with, of all people, her partner Noah Baumbach?

Starring Margot Robbie in the titular role and Ryan Gosling as Ken, with a massive supporting cast that includes America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Issa Rae, Emerald Fennell, Will Ferrell, and noted Robbie lookalike Emma Mackey.

Nobody has much of an idea of what to expect from this one, but with that creative team, it will surely be interesting. And, from the first photo, colourful!

[GaT]

On 4/27/2022 at 2:55 PM, SeanC said:

Nobody has much of an idea of what to expect from this one, but with that creative team, it will surely be interesting. And, from the first photo, colourful!

It's 2022, & they couldn't come up with something other than a long blonde haired, probably blue eyed, Caucasian, look for Barbie? 

[BetterButter]

 

[methodwriter85]

On 4/28/2022 at 6:54 PM, GaT said:

It's 2022, & they couldn't come up with something other than a long blonde haired, probably blue eyed, Caucasian, look for Barbie? 

I mean, we already had Tyra Banks and that was 22 years ago:

I do love that Disney was too cheap to pay for the actual Barbie rights and just made up a very obviously generic Barbie. LOL

Quote

 noted Robbie lookalike Emma Mackey.

Jamie Pressly is the most obvious one, especially because they have very similar voices when Margot is doing an American accent. I'd also add in Samara Weaving.

Edited May 3, 2022 by methodwriter85

[Guest]

On 4/28/2022 at 3:54 PM, GaT said:

It's 2022, & they couldn't come up with something other than a long blonde haired, probably blue eyed, Caucasian, look for Barbie? 

Considering who’s behind it, I assume that is the point. It doesn’t bother me as long as it is used to make a clear point. Plus the rest of the cast is stellar and diverse. 

6 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Jamie Pressly is the most obvious one, especially because they have very similar voices when Margot is doing an American accent. I'd also add in Samara Weaving.

I think it would be hilarious if they included all the famous women who look like Margot Robbie. 

 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Guest

[methodwriter85]

I totally forget about Jamie King.

It really is hilarious that there's just a "type" that Hollywood goes for and she often has that type of heart-shaped face and wide, cat-like eyes.

[Tom Holmberg]

On 5/3/2022 at 8:39 PM, methodwriter85 said:

I totally forget about Jamie King.

It really is hilarious that there's just a "type" that Hollywood goes for and she often has that type of heart-shaped face and wide, cat-like eyes.

It's just coincidence that that "type" is Aryan.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Tom Holmberg

[methodwriter85]

23 minutes ago, Tom Holmberg said:

It just coincidence that that "type" is Aryan.

I'm not saying you're wrong, although Zendaya has that face type as well. 

[supposebly]

Just for info. It might be nice not to repeat the misuse of the word by the Nazis.

The history of the term Aryan

[BetterButter]

[Trini]

Oh, this looks hilarious - I'm in!

[PRgal]

On 6/15/2022 at 12:24 PM, BetterButter said:

He looks like a washed up Ken to me...#sorrynotsorry

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, PRgal said:

He looks like a washed up Ken to me...#sorrynotsorry

I feel like that's a plot point from the movie.  

[methodwriter85]

On 6/16/2022 at 3:48 PM, PRgal said:

He looks like a washed up Ken to me...#sorrynotsorry

I think that's exactly the point.

I'm really struggling to understand how Mattel would let a movie do what is clearly going to be a darkly satirical movie on their brand.

Edited June 18, 2022 by methodwriter85

[Anduin]

47 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

I think that's exactly the point.

I'm really struggling to understand how Mattel would let a movie do what is clearly going to be a darkly satirical movie on their brand.

They could sit on the rights and not make any money, or let this interpretation happen and make at least some money.

[Guest]

23 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm really struggling to understand how Mattel would let a movie do what is clearly going to be a darkly satirical movie on their brand.

They are trying to change their image and prove they aren’t stuck in the past. They are fighting a perception that the toy is perpetuating an image that is harmful to girls. Using a movie to turn the Barbie ideal on it’s head isn’t a bad way of doing that. 

[WendyCR72]

On 4/28/2022 at 6:54 PM, GaT said:

It's 2022, & they couldn't come up with something other than a long blonde haired, probably blue eyed, Caucasian, look for Barbie? 

I get what you're saying, but let's face it: That has been Barbie's look by and large since her debut in 1959.

[WendyCR72]

I wonder if this movie will go completely meta and use the uber-annoying, if catchy, '90s song by Aqua, "Barbie Girl"...

[Trini]

14 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I wonder if this movie will go completely meta and use the uber-annoying, if catchy, '90s song by Aqua, "Barbie Girl"...

Too easy. I'm guessing we get a new Barbie song by [insert whichever one of the top ten female pop/rap stars who are hot right now].

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

I wonder if this movie will go completely meta and use the uber-annoying, if catchy, '90s song by Aqua, "Barbie Girl"...

As posted here, it was reported back in April that it will not:

[dwmarch]

I am a hundred percent sure they will reference it at least. Someone will say "life in plastic, it's fantastic!" or Barbie will tell Ken that he can touch her hair or something like that. The first G.I. Joe movie managed to work in a line about life-like hair and a kung-fu grip after all.

[methodwriter85]

On 6/19/2022 at 12:30 PM, dwmarch said:

I am a hundred percent sure they will reference it at least. Someone will say "life in plastic, it's fantastic!" or Barbie will tell Ken that he can touch her hair or something like that. The first G.I. Joe movie managed to work in a line about life-like hair and a kung-fu grip after all.

They do that and they risk a lawsuit from whoever owns the rights. Quoting even just a line from the song opens them up for a lawsuit. Like I think even saying "I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie world" would be enough that Aqua could sue.

Edited June 21, 2022 by methodwriter85

[blackwing]

Ryan Gosling looks like a 40 year old rent boy that is trying to stay relevant with his awful bleached blond dye job.

[Hiyo]

Sounds like Ken was perfectly cast, then.

[Spartan Girl]

Screw it, I’m in.

[SeanC]

[AimingforYoko]

I sense a Lego Movie vibe here, which is exactly the right one.

[WendyCR72]

8 hours ago, SeanC said:

Wow, the video still captured the inaugural 1959 Barbie (I was born in '72 but have seen pics of the original!) to a T, down to the pouty look. (1959 Barbie did not smile.)

[Anduin]

For those who think the trailer is kind of familiar but can't place it, it's inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey. Great stuff! If there's another trailer that makes me laugh this hard, I'm in.

[magdalene]

That teaser was awesome, I almost slid off my chair laughing.

[AimingforYoko]

It is an interesting decision by Warner's to use this as counterprogramming against former partner Chris Nolan's Oppenheimer.

[scarynikki12]

Of course it comes out during Comic Con. Bastards. 

If y'all don't own any bright pink clothing we have seven months to shop.

[peachmangosteen]

[Trini]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

 

Intriguing!

I love that all the 'Barbies' have jobs, but all the 'Kens' are just ... Kens. lol

So in addition to Barbies and Kens, there are also humans?? Is this going to be similar in format to The Lego Movie? Because the Kate McKinnon Barbie photo implies she's been played with by little children.

Anyway this still looks hilarious, and I'm looking forward to it.

[BetterButter]

 

[shoregirl]

I have a feeling that this movie is either going to be amazing and amazingly awful and nothing in-between. The teaser trailer was cute and it has an amazing cast so I hope it's amazing and not like Cats or something.

[Trini]

I was about to be mad at this casting, but... maybe it's very appropriate:

----

Trailer is funny as well; if they have cleverness and heart to backup the humor, this could be a real winner.

I'm really interested in the costumes. Barbie has had so many outfits in the 60+ years of existence there's a good chance 90% of the costumes are based on the real doll clothes.

One thing I caught after freeze-framing: there's one Barbie with a prosthetic arm. Also, all the Kens just... fight each other when the Barbies aren't around??

And LOL at this tag line (at the youtube description):

Quote

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

 

[ICantDoThatDave]

I'm not sure Margot Robbie has the acting range to play Barbie.

[AimingforYoko]

2 minutes ago, ICantDoThatDave said:

I'm not sure Margot Robbie has the acting range to play Barbie.

To quote the great philosopher Michael Kelso, "Buuuuurrrn!"

As I stated upthread, this is giving me Lego Movie vibes and the new trailer is not dissuading me of that notion.

[Morrigan2575]

1 minute ago, AimingforYoko said:

As I stated upthread, this is giving me Lego Movie vibes and the new trailer is not dissuading me of that notion.

Is that good or bad?

[Trini]

18 minutes ago, ICantDoThatDave said:

I'm not sure Margot Robbie has the acting range to play Barbie.

Too much range?

[Jaded]

I love that Simu Liu is going to be a Ken in this too. I didn't know until today that Hellen Mirren was a part of this as the narrator.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Jaded

[Ohiopirate02]

I love absolutely everything about this character.  I believe we all had this particular Barbie at some point with the mismatched outfit, the random boot, that hair, and the custom makeup job done by a younger sibling.

[Trini]

2 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

and the custom makeup job done by a younger sibling.

[Ohiopirate02]

Though Emerald as Midge is cracking me up as well.  She looks like she's about to break.  I would too if I was the perpetually pregnant friend of Barbie

[scarynikki12]

2 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I believe we all had this particular Barbie at some point with the mismatched outfit, the random boot, that hair, and the custom makeup job done by a younger sibling.

Ah memories! I had a Barbie I named Becky whose hair I cut into a mullet (apologies Becky) and then paired white go-go boots with a pink leopard skirt and gold top. My best friend threw away her only Ken after painting him white and then realized she still needed a boy for the soap operas her dolls were starring in so she cut the hair off one Barbie, dressed her in a sparkly yellow jumpsuit (the manliest outfit any of the dolls had), and turned her into Bobby. 

I can't wait to see this doll in action.

[AimingforYoko]

5 hours ago, Morrigan2575 said:

Is that good or bad?

It's good. In fact, I think it's the only approach that works.

[Guest]

I loved the trailer even though it tells us next to nothing about the plot. I really hope the amazing cast actually plays a significant role and it’s not just Robbie’s Barbie on a big adventure in the real world. 

6 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

As I stated upthread, this is giving me Lego Movie vibes and the new trailer is not dissuading me of that notion.

Same. Elf also came to mind so it made me laugh to see Will Farrell is in this. 

[emma675]

I'll be totally honest, I can't figure this movie out. And each trailer leaves me more puzzled. Is it satire? Flat out goofy fun? Dark humor? I have no idea. 

[oliviabenson]

I’m so not seeing it.