It’s sort of mind-blowing to consider that Oscar-caliber filmmakers Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”) teamed up to co-write a live-action “Barbie” movie for Warner Bros. with Gerwig directing. The project has a heavyweight cast, too, with Australian actress Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”) in the titular role after previous incarnations had Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway drop away for various reasons.
Now, The Hollywood Reporter has learned of another essential casting addition with veteran funnyman Will Ferrell (“Anchorman”), who is said to be playing “the CEO of a toy company that may or not be Mattel,” the toy company behind the beloved doll brand. The comedian is known for headlining major studio films such as “Step Brothers,” “Talladega Nights,” and the hit Christmas film “Elf” that Jon Favreau directed.
READ MORE: ‘Shang-Chi’ Actor Simu Liu Joins Greta Gerwig’s Live-Action ‘Barbie’ Movie
Ferrell joins a stacked cast that also includes Ryan Gosling (“The Nice Guys”) as Barbie’s well-known boy toy Ken, Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi & THe Legend of Ten Rings”), fellow “SNL” alumn Kate McKinnon (“Ghostbusters: Answer The Call”), Alexandra Shipp (“X-Men: Apocalypse”), Emma Mackey, and America Ferrera.
Plot details haven’t been revealed but Barbie is best known for living lavished lifestyle in her “Malibu Dreamhouse” and driving a hot pink convertible along with evolving with the times to having varying versions of the doll that saw Barbie taking on different professions. Presumably, the pair of Baumbach and Gerwig are hoping to subvert expectations and what one thinks of a toy movie adaption.
Robbie, who was most recently seen in “The Suicide Squad,” is also producing the project via her production company, LuckyChap.
READ MORE: Amy Schumer Explains Why She Left ‘Barbie’ Film: “You’ve Got The Wrong Gal”
Given the amount of comedy talent being assembled, it’s starting to look like “Barbie” will be a little more humorous and witty than we were previously expected. In fact, it would not surprise, given the creatives involved, if the filmmakers are looking to deconstruct and really surprise audiences with what they might expect from a “Barbie” film.