Calling All Dolls: Greta Gerwig’s Epic “Barbie” Teaser Trailer is Officially Here
Barbie #Barbie
Eeeeek! It’s happening: our first look at the Barbie movie has officially arrived. No, we’re not talking about Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses or Barbie and the Diamond Castle — we’re getting a real, live-action version featuring Margot Robbie in all of her pink-on-pink glory.
Mattel and Warner Bros. are partnering to bring this ~iconic~ character to life for the first time with Margot Robbie both starring in and producing the film. That’s a GirlBoss™ if we’ve ever seen one, which is fitting because Barbie herself has clocked hours at over 200 jobs, according to Mattel. Margot spoke to Marc Malkin at Variety, saying that “I think it’s a great opportunity to put some positivity out in the world and a chance to be aspirational for younger kids.”
Warner Bros. released the first teaser image back in May, and spoiler alert, it’s completely adorable. We’re screaming, crying, and throwing up over Barbie’s bright pink convertible in this brand new sneak peek photo — and predicting a huge resurgence of pink fashion in the near future (tiny plastic shoes not included). In the meantime, here is everything we know so far about the upcoming Barbie movie.
Is there a trailer for the Barbie movie?
Yes! The first teaser trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie hit theaters in December 2022 and was subsequently released on YouTube. While we’re still waiting for a full-length trailer, we can hold on to all the big (and very pink!) moments in the teaser, which begins with Margot Robbie dressed as the first-ever Barbie doll with Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” playing in the background as an homage to the sci-fi film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Who is playing Barbie in the new movie?
After years of rumors swirling around the iconic doll’s film, Margot Robbie was officially cast as Barbie in 2019. The movie announcement came out in 2014, with Amy Schumer initially landing the lead role. Amy dropped out due to creative differences and scheduling issues. It was then reported that Anne Hathaway would fill the spot before The Hollywood Reporter noted in 2017 that Margot was in talks to take the leading role.
What drew the Australian actress to this particular project? Margot told Harper’s Bazaar, “I didn’t want to pick up another script where I was the wife or the girlfriend — just a catalyst for the male storyline. It was uninspiring.”
The official Warner Bros. Twitter account recently tweeted out a first-look image of Margot as Barbie. The actress grins at the camera, wearing a striped blue halter top and a polka-dotted blue headband with a chunky blue beaded bracelet on her wrist. Her signature blond hair is styled in loose waves. Margot sits in a bright pink convertible with her hands on the wheels, against a matching pink background.
But as fab as Miss Margot is in her Barbie get-up, multiple actresses are playing Barbies in the upcoming film. Emma Mackey is confirmed to be playing Barbie as well as Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, and Issa Rae. Confused? You’ll just have to wait and see what kind of movie magic director Greta Gerwig whips up for the film!
Emma Mackey spoke to Empire and exclusively confirmed that all of the Barbies got together at the beginning of shooting and had a sleepover together — which is so cute that we can hardly handle it. Emma revealed that their activities involved “playing games with Scott [Evans] and Ncuti [Gatwa].” The Sex Education actress seemed happy about her Barbie role, saying, “It’s great to do comedy because Emily was a sad, dark drama. Barbie is light and funny and silly and American and pink.”
We like to think that the sleepover was pink, too — were there pillow fights and matching pink PJs? How do we score a pair?!
Who’s playing Ken in the Barbie Movie?
The one and only Ryan Gosling will be playing Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken — we’re doodling virtual hearts already. And besties, we finally have a photo of the actor as Barbie’s BF. Between his platinum blonde hair, shirtless, full-denim ‘fit (good morning to Ryan Gosling’s six-pack, and Ryan Gosling’s six-pack only), and the all-pink background that appears to resemble Barbie’s Dream House — we are in love.
According to an exclusive from Deadline, the dreamy Crazy, Stupid, Love actor initially passed on the role but eventually committed after his schedule freed up. Twitter reacted to this announcement in a frenzy — one user compared Ryan to a Ken doll, saying “The resemblance is uncanny.”
But mirroring how Margo Robbie is one of many Barbies, Ryan Gosling isn’t the only Ken — Simu Liu has also signed on to play an iteration of Ken in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming film. In fact, the Shang-Chi star told The Independent that he waxed his entire body to prep for his role as the plastic doll. “Waxing has been an education to say the least,” he said, referring to it as “one of the most painful experiences of my life.” At least the pain came with some healthy realizations — the actor remarked, “I have such a newfound admiration for the incredibly brave women who go through this on a monthly basis.”
That’s an all-star cast! Any idea how much they’re making? 👀
Yes! Let’s talk salary. According to a report released by Variety, Ryan Gosling and Margo Robbie are both making $12.5 million each for starring in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
The Variety report also listed 24 other top-paid Hollywood stars and their paychecks from upcoming movies — Steve Carrell is making the exact same amount ($12.5M) in Minions: The Rise of Gru, Millie Bobby Brown secured $10M for Enola Holmes 2, Timothée Chalamet is making $9M for Wonka, and Tom Cruise got paid a whopping $100M for the TikTok sensation Top Gun: Maverick.
What has the cast teased about the film?
Of course, we need any and all updates about this already-iconic film. Thankfully, Ryan Gosling, aka Ken himself, spilled a little snippet of what we can expect from his character.
While promoting his new Netflix film, The Gray Man, Ryan sat down with Entertainment Tonight to discuss a few details about Barbie. When interviewer Lauren Zima referenced a line in The Gray Man where Chris Evans’s character calls him “a Ken doll,” Ryan expressed that it’s “not an insult at all.”
“I ‘m proud of that,” he responded. “I have that ‘Ken-ergy’ that he can feel, obviously. I still feel like the ‘Ken-ergy’ is alive.” He also revealed that his character is going through a bit of a rough patch when we meet him in the film.
“Ken’s got no money, he’s got no job, he’s got no car, he’s got no house,” he said. “You know, he’s going through some stuff.”
Ryan then went on to *very* coyly tease that the Barbie film is “not what you think it is.”
“I can’t wait for people to see the film,” he added. “It’s not what you’d expect… That’s all I can say, otherwise Mattel would come in and box me up.”
Has the Barbie movie started filming yet?
Yes, and there are pics to prove it! The Daily Mail broke exclusive photos of Margot Robbie stepping out of her trailer in Los Angeles, decked out from head-to-toe in costume. Margot was also pictured on the Barbie set wearing a pair of pink flare jeans with groovy ’70s stars and a lace-up closure, paired with a matching pink waistcoat that’s completely on par with the Y2K tuxedo top trend. Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves.
On June 23, E! Online gave us a glimpse at Ken and Barbie together, wearing outfits that can only be described as yaassified rodeo garb. Ever the picture-perfect couple in Western attire, we are sooo curious to see what the film has in store for us other than fantastic costumes.
And then after four months of filming, the Barbie cast took to social media to confirm that they had officially wrapped production as of July 17th!
Hari Nef and Sharon Rooney celebrated on Instagram with the cutest photo of several cast members and Greta Gerwig captured mid-cheer with their arms around each other. Hari captioned her post, “it’s a wrap for the Doll! see you in Barbieland” while Sharon simply wrote, “Barbie, a true gift 💝”.
Based off of the pure joy on their faces (and, you know, the totally adorable all-Barbie sleepover that the actresses had together), this movie is going to have some fabulous on-screen chemistry. The cast seems to have so much love for each other — now we’re just waiting on an official trailer to be released!
Are there any other behind-the-scenes photos?
You better believe it. Ryan Gosling and Margo Robbie were spotted in Venice Beach on June 27th, completely decked out in ’80s roller-rink-ready costumes. We’re talking neon biker shorts, neon fanny packs, neon knee pads, and of course, multi-colored visors (to shield your eyes from the bright colors, duh) — Barbie and Ken never claimed that they weren’t totally extra! TikTok user @andreatvasquez posted a behind-the-scenes video of the pair (and Ryan’s stunt double) skating through Venice Beach and TBH, the vibes are immaculate.
But it turns out that Ryan and Margo weren’t having as great of a time as it seemed. “I can’t tell you how mortified we were,” Margo confessed to Jimmy Fallon. “We look like we’re, like, laughing, having fun, but dying on the inside.” The actress appeared on The Tonight Show and explained that there were hundreds of people watching the pair film their roller-skating scene in California. “I was like, this is the most humiliating moment of my life,” she laughed.
Little Women and Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig is at the helm of this project, having co-written the script with partner Noah Baumbach. Margot Robbie told British Vogue, “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…’”
Gerwig appeared on Dua Lipa’s podcast, At Your Service, and admitted that she was unsure about the project when she signed on after having directed Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. “It was something that was exciting because it was terrifying. I think that was a big part of it, like: “Oh, no, Barbie.'” The director continued, “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.”
Gerwig explained that some of the “best stuff” tends to be where she is “terrified,” telling Dua Lipa, “Anything where you’re like, “This could be a career ender” — then you’re like, “I should probably do it.'”
Gerwig is one of seven women to ever been nominated for the Best Director category at the Oscars, so we know that the Barbie film is in good hands. Twitter showed plenty of love for the director, with one fan tweeting, “greta gerwig having little women and ladybird under her directing belt and now barbie… she will always be famous.”
Who else has been cast in the Barbie movie so far?
The Barbie cast is already filled with an exciting roster that we can’t wait to see collaborating on our screens. Aside from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, actors Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, Hari Nef, America Ferrera, Alexandra Shipp, Issa Rae, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, and Emma Mackey are all slated to join the cast of the Barbie movie.
Fans have long pointed out the uncanny similarities between Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie, with many taking to Twitter after it was announced that the two would be starring in the Barbie movie together.
It also looks like Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan may be joining the all-star lineup for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. After she was photographed with Ncuti Gatwa at the BAFTAs in London on May 8, 2022, fans started speculating that the pair may be working together on the British series, Doctor Who, since Ncuti was just announced as the new Doctor. However, Ncuti (who already announced his role in the Barbie film) captioned a shot of him and Nicola, “A pair of dolls.”
Nicola then teased Variety that she may also be in the BCU (ahem, that’s the Barbie cinematic universe). “I am not going to be on Doctor Who,” Nicola told the outlet. “We are doing something together, but it’s not Doctor Who.”Although no official announcements about Nicola’s casting have been made, things just got more interesting.
What is the Barbie movie about?
The live-action movie will center around the Mattel fashion doll, but with a twist — the movie’s unofficial IMDb reads, “A doll living in ‘Barbieland’ is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world.”
The Barbie doll has received criticism in the past for her biologically-impossible figure setting unachievable body standards, so it’ll be interesting to see the direction that Greta Gerwig takes. Margot Robbie told British Vogue that she’s aware that the Barbie character “comes with a lot of baggage. And a lot of nostalgic connections. But with that comes a lot of exciting ways to attack it.”
When will the Barbie movie be released in theaters?
The film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 21, 2023, a date that’s anticipated by kids and adults alike.