Barbie: Greta Gerwig Calls IMAX Version "Most Satisfying"

Barbie director Greta Gerwig days that IMAX is the "most satisfying" way to see her movie. In an interview with the theater company, the filmmaker was asked about making the cut of this film for IMAX. Gerwig claims that there was absolute care in assembling this film to be shown on those massive screens. In addition, the production design really sings when put up to the scrutiny of that kind of scale. Most theater-goers would agree as Barbie now rests in the top 10 of box office earnings ever. It feels like this new IMAX run might spark some people to revisit Barbie Land as well. Check out what she has to say about the new release down below.

"First of all, it looks and sounds incredible," Gerwig laughed. "Like, this is the most satisfying way to watch it for me and it feels like it really gets inside you. And I like the feeling of being nearly overwhelmed by it."

Experience #BarbieTheMovie in the “most satisfying” way possible: in IMAX. Starting September 22 for one week only, join us for bonus footage, and the sound and scale only IMAX can deliver.💅✨💕 pic.twitter.com/V9Azro0Nbd

— IMAX (@IMAX) September 19, 2023

Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto also mention that the scale is an absolute treat. He said, "It was great, but seeing it on this big screen with the sound, it's a new experience. I think that the movie is an experience but this really takes it to another level.

Barbie's Visuals On The IMAX Screen

A big draw for people going back to theaters to see Barbie again is the visuals on display. The production design team and costume workers deserve a round of applause for their tireless work in bringing Barbie Land to life. The Wrap recently sat down with cinematographer Rodgrigo Prieto to talk about their stylistic choices and inspirations. It should come as no surprise that they went deep on this one.

"The first thing was, what is Barbie Land? How will that look? How will it feel? The first conversations were about this idea Greta had about authentic artificiality, and how she wanted to feel like we are in some sort of toy world, but not completely," Prieto remembered. "She didn't want it to look like they were small necessarily. You want it to feel like it's their world and it's believable, but at the same time, she has a heavy influence from movies of the '50s and musicals and The Wizard of Oz was a big influence. Singin' in the Rain, movies of that ilk."

"The Umbrellas of Cherbourg was a big influence that I used as a lighting reference and for color," he continued. "So we started talking about this notion of being in a box in a way, of painted backdrops, of feeling the stage like you did in The Wizard of Oz, and feeling that you're in a studio. So I think our first conversations had to do with that and how to then distinguish the real world. and feeling that you're in a studio."

Is It Worth It To Watch Barbie Again?

ComicBook.com's Nicole Drum reviewed Barbie for our site. In her writing about the film, she praised Gerwig's vision and clear focus. Barbie is more than a feast for the eyes too, it's a project that will leave you thinking as you rumble out of the theater.

"Barbie is quite possibly Gerwig's best film to date. It is insightful, hilarious, and packed with thoughtful commentary as well as an incredible amount of Easter eggs and one-liners that will reward audiences of every age and opinion on Barbie, not just on the first watch, but on multiple rewatches," Drum argues. "Barbie pulls off the near-impossible task of taking what could have been merely a capitalist IP-driven cash grab and turned it into a celebration of and commentary on culture that gives the audience permission and encouragement to challenge not only everything they think Barbie represents, but what the world asks of us mere humans as well so that we never go back into the box again."

Are you excited to see it in IMAX? Let us know down in the comments!