A live-action “Barbie” movie has been in the works for ages going back to 2016 when comedian Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck“) was initially attached only to be replaced with Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway (“The Devil Wears Prada“). At one point, screenwriter/director Diablo Cody (“Juno“) attempted to pen a script while she was writing “Tully.”
The most recent incarnation at Warner Bros. has Gerta Gerwig (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women“) attached to direct and co-write with partner Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story“). Oscar-nominee Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood“) is set to play the iconic Barbie, and now, they’ve seemingly found their Ken.
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling (“Drive,” “First Man“) is in final negations to play Barbie’s longtime boyfriend Ken, according to Deadline. The actor had been previously offered the role but passed due to scheduling, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue any longer. Margot Robbie will produce via her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment.
We’re still waiting on concrete plot details to give us an idea of how Gerwig will tackle the project, as Barbie is traditionally a kid’s doll, and the film would likely skew towards a younger audience. Gosling has dabbled often in comedy, most recently with Shane Black‘s “The Nice Guys,” so lighter material wouldn’t be foreign to him.
Filming on “Barbie” is said to begin early next year in the United Kingdom. Gosling recently wrapped on the $200 million-plus budgeted Russo Brothers-directed Netflix spy pic “The Gray Man” that features co-stars such as Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Regé-Jean Page, Jessica Henwick, and more. After seemingly taking a break to be a father for a few years, Gosling’s schedule seemed packed. He is attached to play the lead in a new “Wolfman” film from Leigh Whannell (“Invisible Man“) at Blumhouse/Universal, has joined Lord/Miller‘s sci-fi pic “Project Hail Mary,” will play an action stuntman for director David Leitch, and has signed up for NEON‘s amnesia film “The Actor.”