The “Barbie” movie marketing machine has ramped right up as Time Magazine has done a new feature piece on Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated live-action film adaptation of the classic Mattel toyline.
Ynon Kreiz took the job of Mattel CEO five years ago, with one of their big plans being to turn the company’s intellectual property into a cinematic universe based on Mattel toys.
“Barbie” serves as a proof of concept for that idea, and the company sees the new movie as just the beginning as Kreiz is already talking about the possibility of “more Barbie movies”.
Kreiz says they’re looking to create movies that become cultural events, and if you can both excite and give creative freedom to filmmakers like Greta [Gerwig] and Noah [Baumbach] on this, you can “have a real impact.”
The film’s star Margot Robbie is more cautious, telling the outlet she has been involved in conversations, but nothing is set as yet:
“It could go a million different directions from this point. But I think you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels.”
Mattel president and COO Richard Dickson flew to the movie’s London set at one point during production to argue with Gerwig and Robbie about one scene he believed was off-brand for the company.
The pair convinced Dickson to keep the scene in the film by performing it for him live on set. Robbie explained that: “When you look on the page, the nuance isn’t there, the delivery isn’t there.”
Mattel expert Eliana Dockterman has dropped the first review of the film in the article, calling it a “fun yet self-aware romp with shades of Clueless and Legally Blonde”. She adds it’s “stuffed full of ideas and occasionally overwhelmed by them”.
One thing is for sure, the marketing for the film has been on point. A rare blockbuster catering directly to women, goodwill for the film is through the roof and really began with paparazzi photos of Robbie and co-star Ryan Gosling dressed in fluorescent spandex skating down Venice Beach last Summer.
Since then the trailers, music, visuals and clever partnerships with brands have had a snowball effect and now has arguably hit its peak with a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse in Malibu, California is available for booking on AirBnB.
