Image via Warner Bros.
Originally published on Jan. 27, 2023.
We’re just months away from entering Barbie’s world. The live-action film is among the most anticipated of the year and that’s mostly due to fans knowing so little about it and its plot, while still hearing all the nonstop chatter about it over the course of a few years.
Production and filming began in 2022 and paparazzi shots of Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken on set in Venice Beach made the rounds last summer and went viral. The first-look photos Warner Bros. released of a shirtless beach blond Gosling also caused a stir on social media.
The Greta Gerwig-directed film is exploring a new story angle for the famed doll, which has been a staple in the toy world since 1959. This time around, Robbie’s character will show fans what happens when the iconic doll that’s known for her flawless perfection tries to break out of her box and do things her way.
From the stacked cast to the storyline to Gerwig helming a woman-led project again, this is bound to be a neon-colored treat for movie fans. Barbie is not hitting theaters until July 21, but here’s everything we know about the movie so far ahead of its arrival.
Who is in the 'Barbie' movie cast?
Date: January 2019
The Barbie movie has been in the works for quite some time. Amy Schumer was originally attached to star in the film in December 2016, but she later backed out of the project due to “creative differences.” Then in January 2019, it was announced that Robbie will star in the film as Barbie and Gosling signed on to play Ken in October 2021. Will Ferrell will also star in the film as CEO of Mattel. “I get to play the CEO of Mattel and be that guy who’s just insensitive but weird and then, not to spoil anything, but…. Anyway, that’s what excites me,” Ferrell said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal Magazine in November 2022.
Issa Rae and Hari Nef will play alternate versions of Barbie, and Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa are said to be playing alternate versions of Ken. The cast also includes America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Emma Mackey, Alexandra Shipp, Emerald Fennell, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Sharon Rooney, Anna Cruz Kayne, Ritu Arya, Connor Swindells, Jamie Demetriou, Ariana Greenblatt, and Marisa Abela. The movie will also be featuring narration by Helen Mirren. (And there are rumors that Dua Lipa is also part of the cast.)
Who is directing the film?
Date: July 2021
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Greta Gerwig officially signed on to direct Barbie in July 2021. She also co-wrote the highly-anticipated big-screen retelling of the doll’s story with her partner, Noah Baumbach. Gerwig made the transition from being an actress to being a celebrated director, making a name for herself by making women-centered films like Lady Bird and Little Women.
“It was something that was exciting because it was terrifying,” she told Dua Lipa on her At Your Service podcast about signing on to direct the film and writing the screenplay. “It felt like vertigo, starting to write it, like: ‘where do you even begin, and what would be the story?’ And I think it was that feeling I had was knowing that it would be really interesting terror. Usually, that’s where the best stuff is, where you’re like, ‘I am terrified of that.’ Anything where you’re like, ‘This could be a career-ender’—then you’re like, ‘I should probably do it.’”
What's the 'Barbie' movie about and when does it come out?
Date: August 2021
The film’s plot is perhaps one of the things fans are yearning to know the most about yet it’s been the one thing that has been kept tightly under wraps. A synopsis for the film has been floating around and says the story will center on a doll living in Barbieland, who is then forced to leave due to her so-called imperfections. Barbie then sets off on an adventure in the real world and discovers that perfection can only truly be found within along the way. That plot has not been confirmed by the director or her partner, who co-wrote the film, Noah Baumbach.
The cast has also remained mum on the subject, careful to not give anything away. “People generally hear Barbie and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t...’” Robbie told British Vogueabout the film in August 2021.
“People don’t have any idea what to expect [with the film], and I think that that’s the right vibe,” America Ferrera told People in October 2022. “Whatever you think it is, it’s not that. It’s something else.”
Barbie is set to hit theaters on July 21.
Date: April 2022
During CinemaCon held in Las Vegas in April 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures gave the world the first glimpse of Robbie as the legendary Mattel doll. The studio shared a first-look image of the actress along with a release date for the film, which is July 21, 2023. Seeing Robbie as Barbie for the first time cemented her as a solid choice to take on the role. In the image, she wore a light blue and white polka-dotted headband with a striped halter top, while sitting in a bright pink Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a matching backdrop and smiling exactly the way Barbie would.
But that’s not all. The first-look images of Gosling as Ken arrived later in June and showed the transformation the actor had undergone for the role. His platinum blond hair, chiseled abs, and ultra-tan skin? Gosling was born to play this role, and he agrees. “Finally, it’s happening,” he told Variety in July 2022, while promoting his Netflix film The Gray Man. “This has been coming my whole life… I felt like I was seeing myself. I felt seen. I think a lot of Kens will feel seen when they see this. Gotta do it for the Kens. Nobody plays with the Kens.”
The actor also shared some details about his character, saying: “That Ken life is even harder than The Gray Man life, I think… Ken’s got no money, he’s got no job, he’s got no car, he’s got no house. He’s going through some stuff.”
Photos from filming went viral
When: June 2022
Robbie and Gosling went viral in the summer of 2022 when photos of them on set wearing matching fluorescent outfits and roller skating down Venice Beach were released. The actress later revealed that they were not prepared for the world to see them in their costumes just yet. “I can’t tell you how mortified we were by the way,” she shared on The Tonight Show in September. “We look like we’re laughing, having fun, but dying on the inside. I was like, ‘This is the most humiliating moment of my life.’ So embarrassed.”
“I knew that we had some exteriors to shoot in LA,” she added. “Once you’re doing exteriors, you’re gonna get papped. There’s probably going to be a little crowd of people there who are gonna take notice because of the fluro — we stand out a little in those outfits. And so I knew there would be a little bit of attention and probably some photos would get out there but not like it did.”
Date: June 2022
One of the most appealing aspects of playing with Barbies was changing her outfits and the glamorous clothes she had in her closet, so for this film, getting the costumes right was among one of the most important aspects of bringing these characters to life. The costumes for Barbie are designed by Jacqueline Durran, who won the Oscar for Best Costume Design for 2020’s Little Women. So far, based on the paparazzi shots we’ve seen, it looks like Durran has nailed the looks.
Issa Rae opened up about working on 'Barbie'
Date: December 2022
Like the rest of the cast, Rae has fairly careful about what she shares regarding her role in the film and the film’s plot overall. But she did share how she got involved with the project, her connection to the film’s director, and how her experience was. “I had a meeting with Greta. I’d met her once before, at the BAFTAs, and really, really loved her. We got to express our love for each other and for Lady Bird and Insecure. That was years ago, and then at this meeting, she was like, ‘I don’t know if you remember me,’ and I was like, ‘Girl, if you don’t shut up.’ She was explaining the Barbie script to me. She was like, ‘I just need to explain what it is,’” Rae told Variety. “And I’ll be 100 percent honest, when she was talking, like, it was entertaining, but I didn’t get it. I was like, ‘I don’t know what the fuck she was talking about, but whatever it is, I’m excited she’s behind it.’ And then reading it was, like, ‘Oh my God, I love her even more.’ And then actually shooting it, it was incredible, one of my favorite experiences.”
Is there a 'Barbie' trailer?
Date: December 2022
Aside from the paparazzi photos, fans finally got a glimpse into what they can expect from the film after Warner Bros. dropped the first teaser trailer for Barbie in December. In the trailer, the narrator (Helen Mirren) looks back at the history of little girls’ relationship with dolls and how groundbreaking it was when Barbies first hit the scenes. The teaser then shows a few scenes from the film that showcase plenty of vibrant colors, Robbie in the iconic strapless black and white stripes bathing suit the original Barbie wore, large dance numbers, and more. Check it out above.
Warner Bros. releases new cast posters
Date: April 4
Ahead of the trailer’s release, the studio also shared new character posters on April 4. The posters showed Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa and Scott Evans as different versions of Ken. While Emma Mackey, Alexandra Shipp, Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, and others are shown as Barbies who have their own professions like Issa Rae’s character who is the president, and Dua Lipa’s is a mermaid. Check them out below, along with a new poster featuring the stars, Gosling and Robbie.
A new 'Barbie' teaser trailer drops in April
Date: April 4
After the initial trailer didn’t reveal much about the film, movie fans were thrilled to get a fuller, more detailed teaser trailer in April. The teaser features several scenes from the film that gives us a taste of what Robbie’s Barbie and Gosling’s Ken interactions will look like, as well as who else is in the cast that wasn’t previously announced. The neon-tinged trailer makes the film look as fun, electric, and over-the-top as we expected. And the details, such as Barbie’s foot not losing its arch when she removes her heels, give us a sense that we are in for some quality, stylistically accurate entertainment. What the trailer above.
Is John Cena in the 'Barbie' movie?
Date: April 4
The Barbie trailer revealed that even more big names will be appearing in the film than the group they originally advertised, and added John Cena to the already stacked cast. The former pro-wrestler involvement in the project was not previously revealed by him nor the studio, and while he doesn’t appear in the trailer or the character posters, his name appears in the teaser’s credits. According to The Sun, a source close to Dua Lipa said that Cena will reportedly play the pop singer’s romantic interest in the film. Cena has been having success with his pivot into acting and this film seems like the right fit for him to continue flexing his acting muscle.
Helen Mirren and Michael Cera will also be part of the cast.
Warner Bros. releases more 'Barbie' stills
Date: April 4
Warner Bros. made sure to give fans everything they were asking for. While the movie doesn’t drop until July 21, the studio has been sporadically dropping new details and even new production stills to keep fans hooked and engaged. While the plot of the movie is still under wraps, we now have a better understanding of what Barbie’s world will actually look like before we get to see it on the big screen. Check out some of the stunning images the studio shared below.
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Warner Bros.
We will continue to update as more information is released.