The first trailer for the highly-anticipated Barbie movie has finally dropped, and it has well and truly taken the Internet by storm.
Whilst the movie still seems set to honour the Plastic Fantastic we all know and love, renowned director Greta Gerwig has also challenged the boundaries of what we know Barbie to be in this initial teaser trailer. Narrated by none other than Dame Helen Mirren, the trailer mimics Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) whilst offering a first glimpse of Margot Robbie as the blonde bombshell. This is well and truly the combo we never knew we needed.
Just like the opening scene of Kubrick’s 1968 classic, the trailer pans across a sparse, deserted plain. But this time, rather than monkeys, the landscape is populated by a group of little girls playing with old-fashioned dolls. That is, until the arrival of a truly colossal Barbie doll which the children are clearly transfixed by. Cut to a close-up of Robbie, who slides down her sunglasses and gives the audience a knowing wink, and the old-fashioned dolls are no more. The girls smash them to pieces in favour of their new idol: Barbie.
Following its dramatic opening, the trailer culminates in a few short clips which are far more in keeping with what audiences would expect from Barbie: upbeat dance music, bright colours, and plastic as far as the eye can see. We are also offered a first glimpse of Robbie’s co-stars, with Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu both appearing as Ken, Issa Rae as another version of Barbie, and fan-favourite Ncuti Gatwa.
Gerwig’s startling twist on a brand fans thought they knew has sent shockwaves through social media, with many taking to Twitter to express their excitement.
The trailer has also sparked a trend in which fans request a number of tickets to the Barbie movie alongside a photo of the cast of another film.
If Gerwig’s intention was to get people talking, she can absolutely consider it done.
Barbie is expected to release in July 2023.
Words by Kate Padley
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