The Untold Truth Of The Barbie Movie

It's taken 14 years of studio changes, rewrites, and recastings to get Barbie to the big screen, beginning all the way back in 2009 when Mattel first teamed up with Universal Pictures and producer Laurence Mark. The project never got very far because, in 2014, Sony acquired the rights and hired Jenny Bicks to pen the screenplay. Production was expected to begin by the end of the year, but by 2015, multiple rewrites were still being made by the likes of Diablo Cody, Lindsey Beer, Bert V. Royal, and Hillary Winston. Cody reflects on why she was never able to nail down a solid draft. "When I was first hired for this, I don't think the culture had not embraced the femme or the bimbo as valid feminist archetypes yet," she told GQ. "I didn't really have the freedom then to write something that was faithful to the iconography; they wanted a girl-boss feminist twist on Barbie, and I couldn't figure it out because that's not what Barbie is."

Actors Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway were tied to the project at separate points. But by the time Sony's rights to the project expired in 2018, the project experienced another creative overhaul when moving to Warner Bros. Pictures. That's when Robbie entered the picture to produce under LuckyChap and got Gerwig and Baumbach on board to write a script. "Whatever you're thinking, we're going to give you something totally different — the thing you didn't know you wanted," Robbie told The Hollywood Reporter when discussing her producing strategy.

Gerwig and Baumbach's writing process looked slightly different from what you'd usually expect for a film of this scope. Not only did they have complete creative freedom, but it was also written during the COVID-19 lockdown. It began with a treatment in the form of an abstract poem that's been described as similar to the Apostles' Creed. From there, "It was literally imaginative play," Gerwig told Vogue.

At the same time, the duo was writing the film adaptation of Don DeLillo's 1985 novel "White Noise." "They're kind of connected in a funny [way]. The execution is different but there are aspects of the world of 'White Noise' that actually informed some of how we looked at 'Barbie.'" Baumbach told Entertainment Weekly.

During the Vogue interview, Gerwig recalls pulling inspiration for "Barbie's" story arc from "Reviving Ophelia," the 1994 psychotherapy book about the challenges faced by American adolescent girls. "How is this journey the same thing that a teenage girl feels? All of a sudden, she thinks, 'Oh, I'm not good enough,'" Gerwig said, explaining her approach. As for the look of "Barbie," Gerwig looked to Technicolor musicals like "The Red Shoes" and "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." "They have such a high level of what we came to call authentic artificiality," Gerwig explained. Back in 2022, Robbie's alleged Letterboxd account was unsurfaced with a public list of movies under the title "Watch for Barbie." The list included films such as "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," "The Truman Show," and "The Young Girls of Rochefort."

Out with the superheroes and in with the toys — Mattel is taking a page out of the superhero franchise book. With the worsening franchise fatigue among moviegoers, this could be a crucial moment for the toy company's film division, Mattel Films, to swoop in and shake things up. "In the world we're living in, I.P. is king. Pre-awareness is so important," Executive Producer of Mattel Films Robbie Brenner tells The New Yorker. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz has every intention of expanding the Barbie universe, but he won't stop there. As of right now, Mattel Films has 45 movies in development based on the toy brand's extensive list of IPs. Some of these live-action projects include a Polly Pocket film helmed by Lena Dunham and starring Lily Collins, an "A24-type, surrealistic" Barney film with Daniel Kaluuya, and a "gritty" Hot Wheels film produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot.

Although these films may target a more adult audience, Brenner reassures The New Yorker, saying, "We're not going to make any rated-R movies. We're not going to make anything that feels violent, or that is alienating to families ... We want to stay within the parameters of what Mattel is." The company also claims it isn't in the film business to boost toy sales. Out of both promises, one is a little harder to believe, but as long as the movies are good, we won't hold it against them.

Look no further than the fashion icon for your style inspiration. For decades, Barbie has been dressing head-to-toe in the latest fashion trends, and if she can incorporate her signature pink into the look, you can guarantee she will. Some of Barbie's most memorable looks include 1971's Malibu Barbie, 1993's Western Stampin' Barbie, and 1994's Hot Skatin' Barbie. Today, they're being reimagined by costume designer Jacqueline Durran for the big screen. "Barbie really is interlinked with fashion, because how you play with her is by dressing her," she tells Vogue. "Clothes are her form of expression."

When hype around the "Barbie" movie started building online, Barbie's looks were adopted by the masses in an aesthetic known as Barbiecore. Not only have people on TikTok and Instagram been sporting the highly-accessorized, ultra-feminine hot pink outfits, but celebrities have also hopped on the trend. Fashion influencer Emma Chamberlain wore hot pink Valentino on the cover of Vogue Australia last September, while "Euphoria" star Zendaya dressed in a hot pink trouser suit at the Valentino Paris Fashion Week last year. Although the trend has come in and out of style since its emergence in the early 2000s, you can expect to see the craze continue to grow in popularity leading up to the theatrical release of "Barbie."

When Barbie and Ken find themselves in the real world, something strange happens. Once confident and self-assured without any worries in Barbie Land, Barbie is now exposed to a world that objectifies her, causing feelings of insecurity and embarrassment. Meanwhile, Ken, who is used to only existing in the context of Barbie's sidekick, is being treated like ... well, a man. While rollerblading in matching vibrant '80s workout gear, Barbie becomes increasingly uncomfortable, "What's going on? Why are all these men looking at me?" she asks. "Yeah, they're also staring at me," Ken replies excitedly.

While filming the scene at California's Venice Boardwalk, life imitated art when spectators left Robbie feeling self-conscious. "People would go by Ryan, high-five him, and say, 'Awesome, Ryan, you look great!' And they wouldn't actually say anything to Margot," Gerwig told Rolling Stone. "They'd just look at her. It was just surreal. In that moment, she did feel self-conscious. And as the director, I wanted to protect her. But I also knew that the scene we were shooting had to be the scene where she felt exposed. And she was exposed, both as a celebrity and as a lady."

For all the love Barbie receives, there is an equal amount of criticism directed at the doll. Barbie's long controversial history has become a significant part of the brand's identity, with scandals dating back all the way to her creation. The most frequent criticisms Barbie encounters are for her unrealistic beauty standards and lack of diversity. Some major offenses that still follow Barbie today include 1992's Teen Talk Barbie with bimbofied catchphrases like "Math class is tough," the 1975 Growing Up Skipper with pubescent growing breasts, and the 1963 diet book accessory titled "Don't Eat." When Bratz fashion dolls came around in the early 2000s, there was a major shift in the toy landscape. Barbie quickly became the less desirable toy, ceding ground in the doll market to her pouty-lipped, trendy competitors.

Once Robbie and Gerwig got involved with "Barbie," they knew the inevitable had to be addressed. "We of course would want to honor the 60-year legacy that this brand has," Robbie told Vogue. "But we have to acknowledge that there are a lot of people who aren't fans of Barbie. And in fact, aren't just indifferent to Barbie. They actively hate Barbie. And have a real issue with Barbie. We need to find a way to acknowledge that." COO and President of Mattel Richard Dickson understood the importance of recognizing the entirety of Barbie's legacy, telling Time, "It was a matter of finding the right talent that can appreciate the brand's authenticity and bring that controversy to life in a way that, yes, pokes fun at us but ultimately is purposeful and has heart."