We’re getting closer to Barbie arriving in theaters later this month and excitement is getting higher than ever — the film is tracking for a solid opening weekend with a predicted $70 to $80 million box office, over Oppenheimer‘s predicted $40 million. It’s easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year, starring Margot Robbie as just one Barbie in Barbie Land — though the one who ends up having something of an existential crisis and going on a journey. As it turns out, however, it’s that there are many versions of Barbie in the Barbie movie that was the key to Robbie signing on to the film in the first place.
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Speaking with Time (via Entertainment Weekly), Robbie explained that she wouldn’t have wanted to make the film if it didn’t represent a wide world of Barbies.
“I don’t think I would have wanted to attempt to make a Barbie film,” she said about a Barbie movie without many types of Barbies. “I don’t think you should say, ‘This is the one version of what Barbie is, and that’s what women should aspire to be and look like and act like.’”
Robbie is playing “Stereotypical Barbie”, but even in the actual Mattel toy lineup there are more than a hundred Barbies in the current lineup with different body shapes, hair types, and skin tones. Mattel COO and president Richard Dickson said that Robbie playing Stereotypical Barbie worked as a bridge from past expectation of Barbie to Barbie today.
“Of course she looks like Barbie,” Dickson said. “But they’re all Barbie. It’s the perfect cast to express what Barbie is today. And Margot is the Bridge.”
Who is in the Barbie Cast?
Barbie will star Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, as well as Issa Rae as President Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie, Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie, Ana Cruz Kayne as Judge Barbie, Ritu Arya as Journalist Barbie, Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie, Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie, Kate McKinnon as Gymnast Barbie, Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie. Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans will all play different versions of Ken, with Emerald Fennell as Midge, Michael Cera as Allan.
The cast of Barbie also includes Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, America Ferrera, Arana Greenblatt, Rhea Perlman, John Cena, and Marisa Abela.
Barbie is Iconic and Mattel is Betting Big on the Movie
“Playing with Barbie promotes confidence, curiosity and communication throughout a child’s journey to self-discovery,” Robbie previously said in a press release. “Over the brand’s almost 60 years, Barbie has empowered kids to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president.”
“Barbie is one of the most iconic franchises in the world and we are excited to partner with Warner Bros. Pictures and Margot Robbie to bring her to life on the big screen,” Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, wrote when the project took shape. “We look forward to building on this collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures as we tell the stories of our beloved brands. Mattel Films is on a path to demonstrate the enormous potential of our brand portfolio, as we continue to execute on our strategy of transforming Mattel into an IP-driven, high performing toy company.”
Barbie will be released exclusively in theaters on July 21st.
