Barbie (film series)


Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy company Mattel, Inc. who has been a computer animated virtual actress starring in direct-to-video animated films. Although Barbie has appeared in miniseries and short films since 1987, the series officially began in 2001 with Barbie in the Nutcracker. It was followed by a total of thirty-five films before it was put on hiatus in 2017. Barbie has appeared as a character in other films, including Mattel's My Scene line as well as the Toy Story film series, but these are not considered part of the franchise. Created by Mattel Creations, the first ten films sold 40million DVD and VHS units worldwide by 2007, grossing over in sales. As of 2013, the series has sold over 110million DVD units worldwide.
The Barbie films and their plot lines center on Barbie as a singular CGI actress, and often frame Barbie as a modern girl telling the story to a younger friend while simultaneously starring in the film. Scholars examining how the Barbie films differ from Disney and other princess narratives have concluded that Mattel intentionally attempted to remediate its brand based on feminist criticisms through story-telling in the films. Barbie is always placed as the central heroine of the story, with male characters and romantic interests serving as secondary to the plot.

Origins

Barbie's popularity on the toy market began to decline in the 1990s, and struggled further when MGA Entertainment introduced a line of Bratz dolls, whose sexualized characters contrasted with Barbie's older, chaste image. Mattel therefore attempted to overhaul the Barbie brand to keep the toy relevant to consumers in the modern age by bringing in consultants and conducting research on key market groups. Mattel consultants initially considered reducing the Barbie's breast size, but later claimed that the doll's figure could not be changed because "being consistent is one of her biggest strengths". This move might also have been rejected because of the success of the sexualized Bratz dolls of Mattel's competitors. Mattel's team also considered targeting market audiences of career women and their daughters by introducing lines of Doctor or Lawyer Barbies. However, Mattel's research showed that girls were spending more time online than playing with physical dolls. Therefore, targeted career Barbies were discarded in favor of looking for more interactive platforms through online or digital media.
This resulted in the creation of the Barbie film series, which initially revolved around Barbie being reimagined as a princess and eventually expanded into various worlds of fashion and fantasy. A primary benefit of this strategy revolved around marketing, as Mattel could sell dolls specific to each film separately from the DVDs and merchandise related to props, costumes, and sets from the films. Tim Kilpin, the senior vice-president for girls marketing at Mattel, stated that "What you see now are several different Barbie worlds anchored by content and storytelling. A girl can understand what role Barbie is playing, what the other characters are doing, and how they interrelate. That's a much richer level of story that leads to a richer level of play." The strategy worked as US Barbie sales, led by the princess line, "increased by two percent in 2006, saving Mattel's bottom line at a time when its worldwide share of the toy market was declining." Within the films, Mattel includes performances by well-known companies and orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic and the New York City Ballet. These associations could have been included as an enrichment strategy on behalf of Mattel's marketing team, to help the films be seen as educational.

Films

The company produced its first feature-length film, Barbie in the Nutcracker, in 2001 based on E. T. A. Hoffmann's classic tale and featured music from Tchaikovsky's ballet. After its success, it was followed by Barbie as Rapunzel based on the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale in 2002 and another Tchaikovsky ballet-inspired Barbie of Swan Lake in 2003. The first musical film was released in 2004 with Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper based on Mark Twain's famous novel. Due to its popularity among the fans, a remake was released in 2012 with '.
In 2005, the first of the ' trilogy was released which was followed by ' in 2006 and Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow in 2007. Two films were released as spin-offs to Fairytopia, ' in 2008 and its sequel Barbie: Mariposa & the Fairy Princess in 2013.
The success of the first three films had led to the princess-themed lineup in the series, releasing its first original story Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus in 2005, another Grimm's fairy tale Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses in 2006, and the musicals Barbie as the Island Princess in 2007 and Barbie & the Diamond Castle in 2008. Two more films based on classic novels by Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas were released with Barbie in A Christmas Carol in 2008 and Barbie and the Three Musketeers in 2009, respectively.
Starting with the modern adaptation of an Andersen fairy tale, ' in 2009, the series moved away from the classical princess stories and focused on more modern themes like fashion and on stories revolving around Barbie's family and careers. In 2017, the franchise was put on hiatus after Barbie: Dolphin Magic, but in 2020, Mattel announced a return to the film series, beginning with the new musical Barbie: Princess Adventure.
The following is the official list of the animated films in the Barbie film series.
#TitleRelease dateDirectorScreenwriterVideo salesSales revenue
1Barbie in the NutcrackerOctober 23, 2001Owen HurleyRob Hudnut, Linda Engelsiepen & Hilary Hinkle110,000,000
2Barbie as RapunzelOctober 1, 2002Owen HurleyElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
3Barbie of Swan LakeSeptember 30, 2003Owen HurleyElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
4Barbie as the Princess and the PauperSeptember 28, 2004William LauElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
5'March 8, 2005Walter P. MartishiusElise Allen & Diane Duane110,000,000
6Barbie and the Magic of PegasusSeptember 20, 2005Greg RichardsonElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
7'March 14, 2006William Lau & Walter P. MartishiusElise Allen & Diane Duane110,000,000
8The Barbie DiariesMay 9, 2006Eric FogelElise Allen & Laura McCreary110,000,000
9Barbie in the 12 Dancing PrincessesSeptember 19, 2006Greg RichardsonElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
10'March 13, 2007William LauElise Allen110,000,000
11Barbie as the Island PrincessSeptember 18, 2007Greg RichardsonElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
12'February 26, 2008Conrad HeltenElise Allen110,000,000
13Barbie & the Diamond CastleSeptember 9, 2008Gino NichelleElana Lesser & Cliff Ruby110,000,000
14Barbie in A Christmas CarolNovember 4, 2008William LauElise Allen110,000,000
15'March 17, 2009Conrad HeltenElise Allen110,000,000
16Barbie and the Three MusketeersSeptember 15, 2009William LauAmy Wolferam110,000,000
17Barbie in A Mermaid TaleMarch 2, 2010Adam L. WoodElise Allen110,000,000
18'September 14, 2010William LauElise Allen110,000,000
19'March 15, 2011William LauElise Allen110,000,000
20'September 13, 2011Ezekiel NortonElise Allen110,000,000
21'November 8, 2011Mark BaldoElise Allen110,000,000
22Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2February 27, 2012William LauElise Allen110,000,000
23'September 11, 2012Ezekiel NortonSteve Granat & Cydne Clark110,000,000
24Barbie in the Pink ShoesFebruary 26, 2013Owen HurleyAlison Taylor581,187$10,843,872
25'August 27, 2013William LauElise Allen271,194$5,878,488
26Barbie & Her Sisters in A Pony TaleOctober 22, 2013Kyran KellyCydne Clark & Steve Granat458,026$9,454,173
27'February 15, 2014Ezekiel NortonCydne Clark & Steve Granat368,500$7,580,205
28Barbie and the Secret DoorAugust 7, 2014Karen J. LloydBrian Holefeld329,836$8,488,067
29Barbie in Princess PowerFebruary 26, 2015Ezekiel NortonMarsha Griffin212,385$4,655,070
30Barbie in Rock'n RoyalsAugust 13, 2015Karen J. Lloyd & Michael GoguenMarsha Griffin131,836$5,006,613
31Barbie & Her Sisters in The Great Puppy AdventureOctober 8, 2015Andrew TanAmy Wolfram69,950$4,171,779
32'January 15, 2016Conrad HeltenMarsha Griffin & Kacey Arnold190,146$2,961,549
33August 29, 2016Andrew TanKacey Arnold21,154$2,088,235
34Barbie & Her Sisters in A Puppy ChaseOctober 18, 2016Conrad HeltenAmy Wolfram & Kacey Arnold22,492$2,095,317
35Barbie: Video Game HeroJanuary 31, 2017Conrad Helten & Zeke NortonNina BargielTBATBA
36Barbie: Dolphin MagicSeptember 17, 2017Conrad HeltenJennifer SkellyTBATBA
37Barbie: Princess AdventureSeptember 1, 2020Conrad HeltenAnn AustenTBATBA
Total112,656,706$1,988,223,368

Barbie's roles

Barbie was voiced by Kelly Sheridan in most of the series for twenty-seven films altogether. Sheridan was initially succeeded by Diana Kaarina as the voice of Barbie in 2010, beginning with , but later returned to the role in 2012 with Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2. She continued to voice Barbie through 2015, when it was announced that Erica Lindbeck would be taking over in 2016.
#TitleBarbie's roleVoice actorNotes
1Barbie in the NutcrackerClara / Sugar Plum PrincessKelly Sheridan
2Barbie as RapunzelRapunzelKelly Sheridan
3Barbie of Swan LakeOdetteKelly Sheridan
4Barbie as the Princess and the PauperPrincess Anneliese / ErikaKelly Sheridan
5Barbie: FairytopiaElinaKelly Sheridan
6Barbie and the Magic of PegasusPrincess AnnikaKelly Sheridan
7Barbie Fairytopia: MermaidiaElinaKelly Sheridan
8The Barbie DiariesBarbieKelly SheridanSkye Sweetnam
9Barbie in the 12 Dancing PrincessesPrincess GenevieveKelly SheridanMelissa Lyons
10Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the RainbowElinaKelly Sheridan
11Barbie as the Island PrincessRo / Princess RosellaKelly SheridanMelissa Lyons
12Barbie: MariposaElina / Mariposa
  • Kelly Sheridan
  • Chiara Zanni
    • 13Barbie & the Diamond CastleLianaKelly SheridanMelissa Lyons
    14Barbie in A Christmas CarolEden Starling
  • Kelly Sheridan
  • Morwenna Banks
    		• Melissa Lyons
    15Barbie Presents: ThumbelinaBarbieKelly Sheridan
    16Barbie and the Three MusketeersCorinneKelly Sheridan
    17Barbie in A Mermaid TaleMerliah SummersKelly SheridanMelissa Lyons
    18Barbie: A Fashion FairytaleBarbieDiana Kaarina
    19Barbie: A Fairy SecretBarbieDiana Kaarina
    20Barbie: Princess Charm SchoolBlair Willows / Princess SophiaDiana Kaarina
    21Barbie: A Perfect ChristmasBarbieDiana KaarinaJennifer Waris
    22Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2Merliah SummersKelly Sheridan
    23Barbie: The Princess & the PopstarPrincess Tori / KeiraKelly Sheridan
  • Jennifer Waris
  • Ashleigh Ball and Tiffany Giardina as Keira
    • 24Barbie in the Pink ShoesKristyn Farraday / Giselle / OdetteKelly Sheridan
    25Barbie: Mariposa & the Fairy PrincessMariposaKelly Sheridan
    26Barbie & Her Sisters in A Pony TaleBarbieKelly Sheridan
    27Barbie: The Pearl PrincessPrincess LuminaKelly Sheridan
    28Barbie and the Secret DoorPrincess AlexaKelly SheridanBrittany McDonald
    29Barbie in Princess PowerPrincess Kara / Super SparkleKelly Sheridan
    30Barbie in Rock'n RoyalsPrincess CourtneyKelly SheridanJordyn Kane
    31Barbie & Her Sisters in The Great Puppy AdventureBarbieKelly Sheridan
    32Barbie: Spy SquadBarbieErica Lindbeck
    33Barbie: Star Light AdventureBarbie / Princess StarlightErica Lindbeck
    34Barbie & Her Sisters in A Puppy ChaseBarbieErica Lindbeck
    35Barbie: Video Game HeroBarbieErica Lindbeck
    36Barbie: Dolphin MagicBarbieErica Lindbeck
    37Barbie: Princess AdventureBarbie / Princess AmeliaTBA

    Live-action film adaptation

    In 1986, a St. Petersburg Times newspaper reported that Cannon Films planned to make a Barbie film, but nothing came to fruition.
    Warner Bros. and Mattel attempted to develop a comedic live-action Barbie movie with Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald as producers and Jenny Bicks as a writer. On March 4, 2015 it was announced that Diablo Cody will be doing rewrites on the script. In December 2015 it was announced that Sony would hire three different writers to write scripts and that they would choose the best one. They are working with the draft written by Hilary Winston.
    On August 5, 2015, Sony Pictures set the release date as June 2, 2017. On December 2, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Amy Schumer had been cast as Barbie. It also reported that minor changes would be made in terms of the character and the story itself, centering on a Barbie, who after she is exiled from a world full of Barbies, enters the real world as a normal woman who is imperfect. On March 23, 2017, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Schumer had dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts; similar reports stated that the film was without a director. In August 2017, it was announced that Anne Hathaway would star as the titular character and that up-and-coming director Alethea Jones would helm it.
    Originally scheduled for release on May 12, 2017, it was reported that the live-action film adaptation was pushed back and set for a June 29, 2018 release in the United States; it was later pushed back to August 8, 2018. On April 26, 2018, Diablo Cody announced why she had dropped out as the original chosen writer on the project. Cody said that she spent too much time involved working on the screenplay for Tully to focus on writing the live action Barbie movie and that she doesn't feel she is the right person to write the script. This film's concept was discarded in 2017. Sony in January 2018 would later move its release date to May 8, 2020.
    With a revived film division, Mattel Films, a Barbie film was considered one of two of the division's first projects. In October 2018, it was announced that Warner Bros. would distribute and that Margot Robbie was in talks to play the titular character, following Hathaway's departure from the role. In early January 2019, Mattel closed the deal with Robbie to star and Warner and Robbie's production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, to co-produce. In July 2019, it was announced that Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach would write the script with Gerwig also in talks to direct.
    As of May 2020, the film never met its May 8th release date. The release date remains TBD until further notice.