First Footage of Margot Robbie’s Barbie Movie Released Online

By Russ Milheim Updated:
Margot Robbie, Barbie

The very first look at Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling's Barbie movie has been released.

All the way back in July 2021, the Barbie movie was first announced, shocking most of the internet. To drop even more jaws, it was announced that the project would be led by superstars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the titular Barbie and her longtime beau, Ken.

It almost didn't feel real. Except, it very much was.

In June 2022, the first on-set photos of the leading duo were glimpsed, and it was just as any as one would expect. Now, six months later, the world is being given a better look at what's to come.

Come on Barbie, Let's Go Party

Margot Robbie, Barbie
Warner Bros.

The first footage of the highly anticipated Barbie film has debuted in front of Thursday screenings of Avatar: The Way of Water in the U.S.

Glimpses at the footage surfaced online prior to the online release, but the trailer has now graced the Internet in an official capacity, paying homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Margot Robbie, Barbie
Warner Bros.

Margot Robbie is seen throughout the trailer, firstly in a swimsuit that is directly inspired by an actual Barbie doll outfit:

Barbie 1959 doll
Mattel

Ryan Gosling is also seen posing with Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa in sportswear. A brief shot of Simu Liu's Ken shows him leading a lineup of dancers.

Ryan Gosling, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, Barbie
Warner Bros.

The footage doesn't hold back in terms of paying homage to its roots, at one point showcasing a plastic paradise of pink buildings with palm tree-lined streets that look exactly like the toys that the movie is based on.

Simu Liu, Barbie
Warner Bros.

The full teaser can be viewed below:

Thanks to Reddit user r/VariationArtistic, via Twitter user @petercampisi_, an entire description of the trailer surfaced online prior to the trailer's release:

"The trailer starts with a 2001 A Space Odyssey homage with little girls playing with old dolls, with narration about how they played with ordinary dolls, then the girls see a pair of tall legs (in the same way the apes saw the silver rectangle) and it’s a giant Barbie, which is Margot Robbie wearing a black swimsuit with the music of 2001 playing in the background, which then cuts to the little girls smashing their ordinary dolls in the way the apes smash the bones, then it had quick cuts of her looking at the town which looks like a life size Barbie play set (which looks great) with quick cuts of Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu."

Get Ready for Robbie's Barbie

Many are probably feeling some confusion right now - is it possible to truly be excited about a live-action Barbie film? The answer is, of course!

It seems the film will be bringing major LEGO Movie vibes. Maintaining a sense of self-awareness, embracing the outlandish, and truly leaning into the property they have—no matter how insane it looks.

With the trailer screening in front of Avatar: The Way of Water, it will almost certainly be hitting the web soon. Honestly, it's strange that it hasn't already.

Guess fans should head out to see James Cameron's latest epic in theaters if they want to see the trailer as soon as possible.

Barbie is set to hits theaters on July 21, 2023.

- In This Article: Barbie
Release Date
July 21, 2023
Platform
Theaters
Actors
Issa Rae
Kate McKinnon
Ryan Gosling
- About The Author: Russ Milheim
Russ Milheim is the Industry Relations Coordinator at The Direct. On top of utilizing his expertise on the many corners of today’s entertainment to cover the latest news and theories, he establishes and maintains communication and relations between the outlet and the many studio and talent representatives.