Margot Robbie Will Star In The Live-Action Barbie Movie, So Get Ready For Life In Plastic
The animated Barbie movies are in a league of their own when it comes to surprisingly catchy musical numbers and perennially sunny life lessons, but that live-action movie about the fashionable doll is finally happening. With several actresses previously linked to the role, Warner Bros. and Mattel have confirmed that Margot Robbie will star in the live-action Barbie movie. After recently playing real-life royalty in Mary Queen of Scots, it seems only right for Robbie to take on the queen of Toy Land.
On Jan. 8, Warner Bros and toy company Mattel finalized their partnership through the official announcement of the Oscar nominee's casting. Reports of Robbie playing Barbie first appeared in October 2018, but the two brands have apparently ironed out any conflicts that once faced the movie. In addition to her playing the iconic doll, Robbie's production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, will also co-produce the film. Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement, "This project is a great start to our partnership with Ynon and Mattel Films, and Margot is the ideal producer and actress to bring Barbie to life on screen in a fresh and relevant way for today’s audiences."
In her own statement, Robbie said:
Playing with Barbie promotes confidence, curiosity and communication throughout a child’s journey to self-discovery. Over the brand’s almost 60 years, Barbie has empowered kids to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president. I’m so honored to take on this role and produce a film that I believe will have a tremendously positive impact on children and audiences worldwide.
If you had little sisters in the early 2000s, you probably recall the series of computer-animated movies starring the blonde beauty that combined classic stories with Barbie's optimistic zest for life. While more contemporary movies have launched in recent years, films that millennials may remember include Barbie in the Nutcracker, Barbie of Swan Lake, and Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. These flicks are secretly satisfying guilty pleasures, but the plans for a live-action Barbie movie were a little shaky before Robbie's involvement.
Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway were both previously linked to the titular role when the project was eyeing a release in 2016 and then 2018, but that obviously didn't work out. After hopping from one studio to another, the movie finally landed at Warner Bros., and despite rumors that Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins would helm it, Alethea Jones is filling the director's chair. All of the pre-production hiccups finally seem fixed, and according to IMDb, the movie is set to hit theaters in 2020. There, the film's synopsis reads:
A doll living in 'Barbieland' is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world.
So, should I expect Life-Size vibes or nah?
If Robbie can bring the regal grace of her Queen Elizabeth I to Barbie, I'm sure we can manage without her musical life lessons or talking animal friends seen in the animated movies. Time to keep our eyes peeled for a first look at Robbie in costume.
