A new Barbie trailer was released recently, which excited fans who have been waiting for the film to be released. Along with this trailer, it seems like a previous controversy linked to the film has also risen up.
Even though Greta Gerwig's live adaptation of Barbie has been in the works since 2019, another Barbie movie was actually being planned before that. This bit of information has shocked many, especially after learning that the role of Barbie was initially offered to the comedienne, Amy Schumer. After her exit from the show, the role went to Margot Robbie.
So why did Schumer drop the project?
Why Did Amy Schumer Leave Barbie?
Back in 2016, it was revealed that Amy Schumer will be playing the role of Barbie in the live-action of the iconic Mattel doll. In addition to playing the role, Schumer and her sister, Kim Caramele, rewrote the screenplay draft that Hilary Winston originally wrote.
The original plan for the story was that Schumer's Barbie will be kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect. She then lands in the real world, where she struggles to find acceptance.
Shortly after the announcement, however, it was revealed that Schumer was exiting the project as the actress and screenwriter. At that time, it was announced that her reason for dropping out of the project was due to scheduling conflicts. This put the whole project on pause, especially since it was scheduled for a release in the summer of 2018. But as it turns out, there's more to it than just her scheduling conflict.
Six years after her exit from the project, Schumer finally revealed the real reason behind her decision. Schumer told The Hollywood Reporter (via Independent):
"They definitely didn't want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it."
Schumer wanted to play a role that would be a promising inventor. But unfortunately, the studio wanted her big invention to be Jell-O heels.
To celebrate this decision, the studio sent over a pair of expensive heels to Schumer, which convinced the comedienne to leave the project. Allegedly, the shoes were from Manolo Blahnik.
Is Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Movie Still Happening?
When Schumer first left the project in 2017, she gave a suggestion on who should replace her as Barbie at CinemaCon (via CinemaBlend):
"Mindy [Kaling] would be great. I don't know, I'm excited to see who [gets cast]."
Her other suggestions include Goldie Hawn, Shailene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz, and Laura Dern.
Unfortunately, none of these women were approached with the role. There were reports that Anne Hathaway would replace Schumer for the role but this was also dropped. And in 2018, Sony's rights to Barbie already expired. This led to Warner Bros. acquiring those rights and choosing Greta Gerwig to direct the film.
Finally, a Barbie release date has been set for July 21, 2023.
Who Is Part of the Cast of Barbie?
In July 2019, the role of Barbie made its way to Margot Robbie's lap. But after this announcement, it seemed like the project had hit another roadblock-- the pandemic. And many feared it would not materialize, especially since Robbie had been the only confirmed cast member for a few years already.
In October 2021, however, it was revealed that Ryan Gosling had accepted the role of Barbie's partner, Ken. Joining them are:
- Issa Rae
- Hari Nef
- Simu Liu
- Ncuti Gatwa
There are reports that the other cast members will play as alternate Barbies and Kens in the film. But we don't know for sure at this point.
There are also some A-list actors who will be joining the film, such as:
- Kate McKinnon
- Michael Cera
- Will Ferrell
- Emma Mackey
- America Ferrera
- Ariana Greenblatt
- Alexandra Shipp
- Kingsley Ben-Adir
- Rhea Perlman
- Sharon Rooney
- Scott Evans
- Ana Cruz Kayne
- Connor Swindells
- Ritu Arya
- Jamie Demetriou
- Emerald Fennell
Is There a Trailer for Barbie?
To date, there are already a couple of trailers out for Barbie. You can watch them both here:
And this one was released just recently:
Barbie will be released in theaters on July 21, 2023.
RELATED: Amy Schumer's Raunchy Star Wars Cover Wasn't Authorized By Lucasfilm
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!