A live-action studio “Barbie” movie has been in the works for years, as actresses such as Amy Schumer and Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway had been attached at different points. That was until Oscar-nominee Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood“) was tapped to star.
The Aussie actress who recently spoke with British Vogue revealed that “Barbie“s co-writer Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women“) is also directing the film based on the iconic Mattel doll. Gerwig wrote the latest incarnation of the script alongside filmmaker husband Noah Baumbach (“The Squid & The Whale,” “Marriage Story“). The pair are currently working on the film “White Noise.”
“People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t,'” Margot Robbie told Vogue in their August issue.
Variety adds shooting on “Barbie” will begin in early 2022. Production will take place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford, England, and the film has a potential 2023 release date. The facility is mainly used to shoot the studio’s big franchises such as the Potterverse and DCEU films, a potential sign that Warner Bros. has some big ambitions for the project.
Robbie’s latest pic is the DC Comics sequel “The Suicide Squad” which was written and directed by James Gunn (“The Guardians of The Galaxy“). The action-comedy will be released in theaters and HBO Max on August 6.