The premise of the film sees Barbie getting the high-heeled boot from Barbie Land for being not as perfect as her exterior coiffured image seems.
She goes off into the real world to explore what makes her truly happy.
Aussie actress Margot Robbie plays the main Barbie to Ryan Gosling’s Ken but there’s also singer Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie.
READ MORE: Margot Robbie’s Barbie movie used ‘so much pink paint’ it caused world paint shortage
New Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa also has a Ken doll role as does ex-pro wrestler John Cena as Merman Ken.
(Image: FILM STILL / HANDOUT)
Helen Mirren narrates the whole tale and Will Ferrell shows up as toy company Mattel’s CEO.
It’s taken years for this non-animated version of Barbie to get finished.
Oscar-nominated Little Women director Greta Gerwig is steering the ship but an initial script was penned in 2014 by Sex And The City writer Jenny Bicks.
Then Juno’s Diablo Cody had a crack with Amy Schumer signed on as Barbie.
(Image: FILM STILL / HANDOUT)
When she bailed, Anne Hathaway stepped in only for Diablo to leave as well.
Warner Bros studio took over and had Ocean’s 8 writer Olivia Milch on board before Greta and her partner Noah Baumbach made the final version.
In order to get into the head of an empty doll’s brain Margot listened to a podcast where a woman talked about not having an inner voice.
(Image: Warner Bros.)
She said: “You know how you have a voice in your head all the time? This woman, she doesn’t have that voice in her head.”
To help the cast bond, Greta held a sleepover at London’s Claridge’s hotel for the Barbie actresses. While the Ken actors could visit, they weren’t allowed to stay.
Unable to attend, Ryan sent a singing telegram to entertain the ladies – an older Scottish bloke in a kilt playing bagpipes who delivered the Braveheart film speech.
(Image: Getty Images)
The cast also had weekly movie screenings to watch other productions which had inspired their output including 1940s technicolour musical The Red Shoes.
The film was partially shot in Watford and colourful sets made to replicate the Barbie Dreamhouse used so much of a fluorescent shade of pink paint, the company Rosco ran out of worldwide supply of tins.
And the eye-catching hue has sparked a Barbiecore fashion trend for this summer with replicas of Margot’s outfits in particular, including a cowgirl hat and flared trousers, hitting the high street.
(Image: Getty Images for Bulgari)
When shots were first leaked of her and Ryan in fluorescent Lycra rollerblading during filming, the 32-year-old said: “We look like we’re laughing, having fun but dying on the inside.
“I was like, ‘This is the most humiliating moment of my life.’”
Soundtracking the film are new songs by star Dua, whose disco-drenched Dance The Night is the lead track, and hitmaker Lizzo also features along with Ken actor Ryan himself.
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The actor, who showed off his musical chops in La La Land, sings in character on I’m Just Ken.
Hitting back at criticism he’s too old at 42 to be Ken, Ryan recently told GQ magazine: “If people don’t want to play with my Ken there are many other Kens to play with.
“Barbie never f***ed with Ken.
“If you ever cared about Ken you would know that nobody cared about Ken so this is why his story must be told.
“I care about this dude now – I’m his representative.”
Barbie is released in cinemas on July 21
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
