There are probably people still out there who hear about a Barbie movie and roll their eyes thinking there is no way they’re going to see a film about a (traditionally) girl’s doll, but as the newest, “main” trailer for Barbie says, this film is for people who love Barbie and people who hate Barbie — and pretty much everyone else in-between. With Greta Gerwig at the helm and a cast that’s far better than you’d ever expect to be in a film about Barbie, the unlikely movie is lining up to be one of the best of the year.
The main trailer for the film definitely gives us a lot more understanding of what the film will be about than the last did. Barbie (Margot Robbie) starts having some problems in her perfect toy life of plastic houses, washboard abs, and feet that aren’t in heel form at all times. Turns out she must travel to the real world to solve them, and along for the ride is Ken (Ryan Gosling). The pair land in some wacky, well-dressed hijinks as Will Ferrell tries to put Barbie back in her box. It all looks like plenty of (musical) fun, but as with anything from Gerwig and her co-screenwriter Noah Baumbach, there’s a tinge of emotional powerhouse in there.
There are also about 50 million other famous people in it. Here’s the massive list of stars: America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa, and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”).
A great cast, director, and writers are all well and good, but what really stands out about the main Barbie trailer is the inclusion of something that we thought wasn’t going to be present in the film at all: Aqua’s classic song, “Barbie Girl.” At the end of the trailer, the hook from it plays from the song followed by Dua Lipa(?) speaking over the music. Maybe we’re getting a Dua Lipa song sampling “Barbie Girl”? Whatever the outcome, the inclusion of the song even in the trailer is a minor miracle given Mattel’s initial reaction to the song’s release and success back in the ’90s.
Barbie will release in theaters on July 21.
