A live action Little Mermaid is coming to our screens sometime in 2023. Of course we’ll be inundated with reboots over the next few years. Although nobody asked, Mattel has decided to create a live action Barbie movie. Amy Schumer was originally supposed to play Barbie, but in 2017, Schumer confirmed that she had left the project. Margot Robbie was tapped to play Barbie in 2018, but who will be her Ken? ET has confirmed that Ryan Gosling is in final talks to star as Ken.
ET can confirm Ryan Gosling is in final negotiations to play Ken in the upcoming Warner Bros’ live-action movie, Barbie. The actor will co-star alongside Margot Robbie as the titular doll, with Greta Gerwig set to direct.
“Playing with Barbie promotes confidence, curiosity and communication throughout a child’s journey to self-discovery,” Robbie, who will also co-produce the film, said in a statement at the time. “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. I can’t imagine better partners than Warner Bros and Mattel to bring this film to the big screen.”
Barbie is Mattel’s first ever live-action feature film. Amy Schumer was originally supposed to play Barbie. A source told ET in December 2016 that the plot would involve Barbie getting kicked out of Barbieland for not being “perfect enough,” and her then embarking on an adventure in the real world.
Question. Do we really need a Barbie movie? I mean who asked for this Mattel? Like I really don’t need to see Margot Robbie in another pretty blonde girl role. Although, I must admit, I’d go to see Ryan cuz he is hot and hilariously funny. Loved Ryan in Crazy, Stupid, Love. To be fair, as much as I dislike Amy Schumer, I would have preferred to see her as Barbie. I am hoping the movie is written to show that Barbie was an intelligent businesswoman and not just a pretty cheerleader. I am going to try not to judge the movie before I see a trailer. I am still traumatized by how they ruined the Josie and the Pussycats movies so I am not optimistic.
I just want Ryan in this project so I can see him on my screen because he has been MIA for several years. I am sure Ryan has just been having fun raising his kids and being a dad. Ryan is in production for several movies, including one with Rege-Jean Page, but he needs to be in more. As far the fakakta Barbie live action movie, I am at least looking forward to the visuals of Ryan as Ken.
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Backgrid and Mattel via Amazon
Okay, so my boys went through a big “Barbie Dream House” phase on Netflix and the premise of that (really annoying) show is that Barbie is….well, Barbie. She’s perfect. She can do anything – she can be a scientist AND a master chef AND prom queen, and Skipper and the other one whose name escapes me now never quite measured up (one was more sporty and one was younger and more naive) and if push comes to shove, leave the dream house and go into the dream camper and things will be fine.
So the idea of Barbie – whose whole thing over the past 60 years has been how perfect she is, regardless of the roll – being kicked out for not being perfect enough is….maybe intriguing? I don’t know. I think it sounds stupid to be honest but stupider movies have been made so time will tell I guess.
I was going to talk about Barbie and her influence on my kids too! Positive influence, which I NEVER expected. My daughter (now 20) took up fencing after watching Barbie and the Three Musketeers (the most anachronistic version of that novel ever) and it turned out THAT was her sport and she excelled. (She’s also a lesbian, so chicken or egg?!) Another movie with Barbie and a bunch of animals on an island is still a favourite of my younger child’s. They are now 17, non-binary, and cite the cartoon as an influence as they were trying to sort out who they were (presentation and being true to oneself being the primary message of that movie). The movies and Barbie Dream House are weird and fun, have more genuine female empowerment than most entertainment, and are beloved by my queer children. I am PUMPED to go to a family movie night to see this with them.
In that yellow suit – yes he could be Ken!
I think Margot Robbie has great comedic chops but yes, nobody asked for this, LOL.
Does anyone remember the cut-and-style Barbie? I had that as a kid and cut her hair and it was so anticlimactic, I was like “…that’s it?” They gave you a replacement clip in but it was underwhelming, lol.
Margot is a great actress, but not every actress is suited for every role.
I would have appreciated Amy Schumer as Barbie. I think Margot Robbie is like the old Barbie as far as looks and how they’ll probably write her. Lots of bikinis pool side and a pink convertible.
The more I think about it the more this sounds like a bad Legally Blonde.
Josie and the Pussycats has one of the worst caating jobsin movie history. They failed each character with that line up.
“the plot would involve Barbie getting kicked out of Barbieland for not being “perfect enough”
The plot revolves around Margot Robbie not being perfect enough? Is this the message?
They’ll give her glasses and frizzy hair.
1. Who asked for this movie?
2. He’s too old. Sorry.
Remember him in Lars and the Real Girl? That movie kinda broke my heart(( So sad… His films are hit or miss for me, sometimes I just can’t bring to like his characters. Other times, he’s amazing. Stay was probably his best one. I wonder why on Earth they’d make a Barbie movie now… Maybe they’ll make it more modern like they did with Enchanted, go the body-conscious route, talk about a woman’s role in society and the pressures and not reinforce the impossible beauty standards? Like that recent Rebel Wilson piece Isn’t It Romantic?, that one was great, it seemed like it could go sour on every corner but they’ve managed to make the right turn just at the last minute every time! I was pleasantly surprised!
Hard pass on all things Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach. Talk about two awful people. You gotta be a whole level of psycho narcissist to do what they did & then try to pretend you aren’t horrible.
Team Jennifer Jason Leigh forever.
Well! I’m off to ye olde Google to find out what you are referring to. 👀
Edit: I’m back! Not digging too deep, cause I’m technically at work, but given the number of headlines dedicated to the relationship timeline, something not cool happened. How dare they do that to my (fake, we’ve never met) bestie Jennifer?!?!
Modern Ken looks like a total douche-bro.
Didn’t Amy Adams do a similar movie before? About a princess getting kicked out of a fairy tale, etc.? Anyway, would like to see how this movie develops. I grew up playing with Barbie dolls, but I never watched any of her cartoons or other movies (except for her brief satirical stint in Toy story).
If you think Josie and Pussycats was bad, you should watch the live action film of Jem and the Holograms. Makes the Josie movie look like an Oscar winner.
He’s just not cute enough. He’s kind of… meh. Ken should be hot.
I love Ryan but I agree: he is pretty much the anti-Ken. An interesting looking guy with a hangdog face that looks more handsome with time. Armie Hammer (loathe him and he should not get work again) would have been a more suitable choice.
I was going to say the same thing.
A traditionally handsome actor (Matt Bomer?) with the square jaw like Ken would seem to fit, especially since they have gone traditional with the Barbie casting, it seems.
I agree, Gosling is fine, but I find him attractive because he’s not “perfect”. Ken is more traditional good-looking.
Billy Magnussen was the first person I thought of as Ken. Or Matt Bomer.
I LOVED the Josie & the Pussycats movie with Parker Posey and will not stand for such slander.
Same.
SAME. Blasphemy! 😀
It sounds like it could be campy and fun. Plus, Margot Robbie has a sense of humour so I’m interested to see her take on it. I do wish they’d cast someone like Henry Goulding as Ken. Ryan is talented but Henry has that classic Hollywood leading man vibe that I associate with Ken.
Barbie was a mess in terms of helping normalise unattainable Eurocentric beauty standards. But it looks Mattel finally realised they’d make more money with a more inclusive toy range. So Barbie dolls have become more diverse over the years.
I’m a grown adult who wants to buy one of those fancy limited Barbies. I *hate* plastic though so that’s all keeping me in check.🤣 So I guess I’m the target demographic for this film.
The possibilities for versions of “Ken” are almost endless: Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, and it would be cool if there were versions of the old style G.I. Joe doll too.
We need all kinds of movies because we’re all different. i’m a little bit bummed to always read the same names and see the same faces. Can we have more fresh new faces with exta talent doing movies?
Barbie Dream House was hilarious. If it’s like that, I would watch it.
I was never into Barbie and I deliberately didn’t buy my daughter a Barbie, so I am not interested in this movie at all – except for the fact that Margot and Ryan probably wouldn’t sign on to a fluff project, so whatever it turns out to be will probably be fairly interesting.
Would be hilarious if it ended up being a rated R movie, You know, like it’s a dark tale about Barbie and Ken’s secret lives. Now that would be good.
Question is, what happens when they get busy? What with those smooth faux genitals?!
An underrated Gosling film is The Nice Guys with Russell Crowe. It’s a bit of a film noir set in the early 70’s, but with humor. Gosling took Bud Abbott as his inspiration for his character.
And try to find the footage of Crowe and Gosling on the Colbert show promoting it. Funny.
Perfect casting, honestly.