Everything We Know About The Live-Action Barbie Movie So Far

Come on Barbie, let’s go party! The iconic doll is coming to life in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming movie, Barbie. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling will take on the iconic roles of Barbie and Ken in the live-action extravaganza. It features a star-studded cast, bright pink everything, and plenty of incredible moments from the trailer alone that will have fans talking for a while. For a while, the plot of the movie was shrouded in mystery. When asked about details regarding the plot, Gosling said in 2022: “It’s not what you think it is, unless it is. And then you know what it is. But I don’t think that’s what you think it is.”

That said, Suicide Squad’s Robbie was eager to dispel any pre-judgments people may make of the film. She 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...’” Kate McKinnon, who knew Gerwig in college, had said that the script is “one of the greatest things” she’s ever read. The trailer, which was released on April 4, may shed some light on what everyone involved in the film was talking about.

Here’s everything to know about Barbie.

Barbie First Look & Trailer

Fans got their first look at Robbie as Barbie arrived in April 2022. A teaser image shows the actor posing in a pink (of course!) sports car. Wearing a blue and white gingham outfit, complete with a polka dot headband, Robbie looks as though she’s come straight out of Malibu.

Photos of Ryan Gosling as Ken also hit the internet with a bang, plus images of them rollerskating in costume.

After many months of waiting, the teaser trailer dropped on Dec. 16, showcasing a very pink Barbie world that included Ken in a fringe vest, Simu Liu, and the title card in the iconic pink font we all grew up with and love. A longer trailer, giving fans a better look into Gerwig’s Barbie world, dropped on April 4 — almost a year after fans first saw Robbie in costume.

It was packed with pink Barbie dreamhouses, bright costumes, and of course, Ken’s neon rollerblades.

Barbie Plot

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Robbie teased, “Our goal is to be like, ‘Whatever you’re thinking, we’re going to give you something totally different’ — the thing you didn’t know you wanted.” Previously, the Barbie franchise had a film in the works with Amy Schumer (I Feel Pretty, Trainwreck). The plot followed a woman who is kicked out of Barbie-ville for not meeting the “physical perfection” standards. But Schumer dropped out, so the movie didn’t go ahead. For the upcoming production with Robbie and Gosling, Gerwig co-wrote the script alongside her partner, Noah Baumbach.

Barbie Cast

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling head up the star-crammed cast, playing Barbie and Ken. Will Ferrell will play a toy shop CEO, per The Hollywood Reporter. Simu Liu (Moon Knight), Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters, The Spy Who Dumped Me), Alexandra Shipp (tick, tick...BOOM!, X-Men), America Ferrera (WeCrashed, Ugly Betty), and Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War) are all set to appear too.

A slew of talented Brits are also set for the film: alongside Sex Education’s Emma Mackey, her show castmates Connor Swindells and Ncuti Gatwa (who play on-off couple Adam and Eric) have also joined the bill. Stath Lets Flats creator and star Jamie Demetriou, The Crown’s Emerald Fennell, Kingsley Ben-Adir (Peaky Blinders, The OA), Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary, Under the Skin), and The Umbrella Academy’s Ritu Arya also feature in various unconfirmed roles. As Variety notes, Gatwa - who was recently announced as the next Doctor Who - shared a photo of himself and Coughlan on Instagram, along with the caption: “A pair of dolls.” Speaking to Variety, the Derry Girls star confirmed that she is “doing something” with Gatwa, teasing that he has already been announced for the project.

Incredibly, that’s not it, either – a whole host of US stars ranging from Insecure writer Issa Rae to Juno and Arrested Development favourite Michael Cera are also on board. Transparent’s Hari Nef, Ana Cruz Kayne (who previously worked with Gerwig on Little Women), Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon), and Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie) round out the latest additions. Posters of the cast were released on April 4 with the trailer, featuring 24 different characters and their roles as Barbies and Kens in the upcoming movie. For any fans who want to join in on the fun, they can create their own Barbie movie poster thanks to a selfie generator.

Barbie Release Date

Barbie is expected to hit theatres on July 21, 2023, the same day as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

With contributions from Rachel Mantock and El Hunt.