Everything You Need To Know Before Seeing The New Barbie Movie
If you’re anything like me, you were invested in all things Barbie for the majority of your childhood. It was nearly impossible to resist between the vast assortment of movies, dolls and dream houses. Even if you did manage to avoid becoming a fan of the iconic character, odds are you were still made well aware of her existence. Barbie is well known not only for her superior fashion sense and positive attitude, but for the unrealistic standards she (however unintentionally) placed upon women. For many, this opposition made growing up while idolizing Barbie an interesting experience, to say the least. Now that the trailer for the upcoming 2023 Barbie movie has been released, levels of online excitement and nostalgia seem to reach an all-time high. Now, you might be wondering: What is the Barbie 2023 movie about? Whether you’ve been a lifelong fan or you’re just now jumping on the Barbie bandwagon (or pink convertible), here’s everything you need to know before stepping into the theater July 21.
Her History
Since her creation in 1959, Barbie has undergone quite the evolution. Her initial role was to inspire and empower girls, but as time went by, many grew angry with the stereotypes and unrealistic body proportions they believed the doll promoted. This conflict between female empowerment and female competition is one that Barbie continues to carry with her, despite changes made by Mattel in an effort to be more inclusive. From what we’ve seen, the 2023 film plans on paying careful attention to Barbie’s past – controversies and all. The teaser trailer alone indicates this idea, giving viewers a glimpse of Margot Robbie’s Barbie towering over young girls, an effect that leaves them quite literally looking up to her. She also wears a black and white swimsuit, paying homage to the first outfit Barbie ever wore.
Although the movie will focus mainly on Barbie, it looks like it will include other iconic characters as well. Notable mentions include Ken (of course), in addition to Midge and Allan – who each have histories of their own. These references give us a glimpse of the writers’ dedication and commitment to acknowledge Barbie’s past.
Greta Gerwig
Where would any great film be without a fantastic director? You might know Barbie’s director Greta Gerwig from her work on films like 2017’s Ladybird or 2019’s Little Women. Both of these films are beautifully written and directed by Gerwig, whose writing style aims to emphasize imperfection and humanization. Gerwig has shown that she isn’t one to back away when conflict arises, especially among the female characters in her films. This will definitely be an interesting quality to apply to the seemingly perfect, plastic, untouchable figure that is Barbie. In the trailer, Barbie can be seen struggling to navigate her life; stuck awkwardly between the blissful ignorance of Barbieland and the reality of adult life. We don’t know what’s more Zillennial than that!
The Soundtrack
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Greta Gerwig is far from the only female voice contributing to the film. The lineup of the official Barbie movie soundtrack was released a few weeks ago, and the internet is already obsessed (and for good reason). On May 26, Dua Lipa released “Dance the Night,” a single that will be featured on the soundtrack next to other female artists that include Nicki Minaj, Lizzo, Ava Max and Ice Spice. Some of the other artists featured are Khalid, Dominic Fike, Ryan Gosling and “more Barbies and Kens to be announced…” In addition, the vinyl of the soundtrack is being sold through multiple stores and each store has their own unique color variant. You’ll be able to buy the Barbie soundtrack in colors from hot pink to candy floss (there’s no color combo more Barbie than that). Although we’re still a little over a month away from the full soundtrack’s release, I think it’s safe to assume the attention surrounding it is completely justified.
The Style
Did you really think there wouldn’t be a section about fashion? This is Barbie, after all. Many people on Tiktok and Instagram are already planning their Barbie premiere outfits – and they’re absolutely crushing it. Treating the movie theater like your own personal fashion show is the perfect way to make the experience more fun (and glamorous) so here’s a quick list of what you could wear to better fit in in Barbieland.
- Anything pink (obviously)
- Neons + fun patterns
- Flared pants
- Cowboy hats
- Bright makeup
- Glitter
Whether you go all out style-wise or not, 2023’s Barbie is definitely looking to be a memorable experience. You might be going for the plot, the cast, the soundtrack or something completely different, but the important thing is that you have a good time.
What is the Barbie 2023 movie about? Is there anything you’re looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments!