Margot Robbie in talks for Barbie, Patty Jenkins could direct

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It sounds as if Mattel's long-gestating BARBIE film project is preparing to take a ride in the fashion-forward toy icon's Glam Pink Convertible, as it's been announced that after being in development for years with Sony, the pic will move to Warner Bros. with I, TONYA and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD actress Margot Robbie in talks to play the title character.

Mattel first announced that they were partnering with Sony to bring the time-honored property to the silver screen back in 2014. After much planning, it was declared in 2016 that comedic actress Amy Schumer would star in the live-action film based on Barbie's adventures. However, that deal eventually (and thankfully) fell through due to conflicts with Schumer's schedule. After a mad scramble, Sony announced that COLOSSAL and THE DARK NIGHT RISES alumna Anne Hathaway would replace Schumer as the forward-thinking feminist idol.

With the BARBIE project now moving to Warner Bros., fans of the character can expect the film to take a little longer to reach the big screen. That said, The Hollywood Reporter, who broke the BARBIE news this afternoon, are saying that WONDER WOMAN helmer Patty Jenkins is circling the project, though no official negotiations for the deal have taken place at this time.

With any luck, the big screen adventures of Barbie and her anatomically-ambiguous friends will get a solid plan under their plastic pumps real soon, so that fans of the beloved toy line can look forward to a wild night at the theater with Mattel's blond bombshell. Let us know if you're intrigued by Robbie and Jenkins' involvement in the comments section below.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.