Greta Gerwig To Direct the ‘Barbie’ Movie Starring Margot Robbie
Greta Gerwig has been announced as the official director of the upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie. In 2019, Gerwig signed on to the Warner Bros. project as co-writer with screenwriter and director Noah Baumbach. Now, we know that Gerwig’s duties on the project will extend to the director’s chair.
In a recent interview with British Vogue, Robbie let it slip that Gerwig would not only be penning the movie, but would also be at the helm. “People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’” she stated. “And then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t…’”
Robbie will portray the iconic toy, as well as produce the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment banner. She also teased that her version of Barbie would come with “a lot of baggage” and “nostalgic connections.” It’s still unknown which of Barbie’s plastic playmates will be joining her on-screen. Will Ken, Skipper, or Christie be along for the ride, or will we be introduced to new characters?
As for the production status of Barbie, it’s worth nothing that both Gerwig and Baumbach are currently tied up with Baumbach’s latest film, an adaptation of Don Delillo’s postmodern novel White Noise. Gerwig is starring in the project alongside Adam Driver. Once that movie wraps, Barbie will go into production in early 2022 at Warner Bros.’ Leavesden Studios in London.
A Barbie movie has been in the works at Warner Bros. for years now, and it seems like the project finally has legs (and arms, and shiny plastic blonde hair). We can expect to see Barbie arrive in theaters in 2023.