It certainly feels like a strange timeline to be in when one of the most anticipated movies of 2023 is Greta Gerwig's Barbie, a take on the classic Mattel toy that is (presumably) for an adult audience rather than the usual target of young children. With a star-studded cast and a visual aesthetic that is, judging from the set photos, going to be bright and unique — not to mention the nostalgia factor it already has going for it — the film has all the makings of a hit. There have really been no plot details released yet, so there aren't many clues as to what the movie will actually be about, or how exactly it's going to tell a Barbie story.
Barbie as a franchise already has a precedent with movies, of course. The animated Barbie movies released in the early 2000s and onward (even to present day) were classics for anyone growing up in that generation, and for many, their impression of Barbie has more to do with those movies than the dolls themselves. However, an older generation might mainly know Barbie from the way the toy line was marketed, which is very different. This is a trap that the new Barbie movie might fall into, and it would actually benefit them to take more inspiration from the animated Barbie movies that already exist.
All of this is just speculation about the Barbie movie's plot, since nothing official has been released, other than a few photos from the set. However, if recent media trends are anything to go by, there is a chance that the intention behind Gerwig's film could be to make a more edgy or satirical Barbie story. There is probably an instinct to go in this direction, because of the assumption that the audience won't take a straightforward Barbie movie seriously. This assumption would conclude that there needs to be a lot of sarcasm and cynicism towards the concept of Barbie itself in order for the audience (particularly those who didn't grow up with Barbie) to go along with the tone of the story.
The jokes and stereotypes about Barbie as a product are well-known at this point: it's all pink, glitter, and fashion to most people, not to mention promoting unrealistic body standards. However, that's a very surface-level viewing of what Barbie has always been about, and flat-out ignores the messages present in the animated movies. Barbie has always promoted being who you want to be, and a lot of those animated movies even touch on feminist themes like the importance of friendship between women and believing in oneself. While all of this still might come off as cheesy to some, these kinds of ideas are at the heart of what the Barbie model has always been about, and resonated with many who grew up watching the movies.
Unfortunately, Barbie is often still written off as "just for girly-girls," and because anything that young girls enjoy is often ridiculed by society, it's never been seen as progressive or for mass appeal. However, more recently, Barbie dolls have started coming in all shapes and sizes, with varying body types and skin tones so that children can feel more represented by the dolls. Barbie has a YouTube channel where Barbie herself makes vlog-style videos that discuss tough topics in a kid-friendly way. The animated movies always promoted the idea of being one's true self and not changing just to fit in. Just because someone is into pink and glittery things doesn't mean that they can't also be strong and have agency in their own life.
Since so many people have that stereotypical image of Barbie in their heads, it would be easy for this movie to play off of those tropes and even make fun of them, trying to do something edgy by "deconstructing" Barbie. However, that's really not what anyone needs or even wants from this film. To ensure the movie's success, it should lean into the tone that the previously established animated movies had. Rather than going for cynicism, Gerwig's Barbie should be sincere, and have the same earnest tone and outlook that the animated movies did. When Barbie is often ridiculed for being superficial, this message might even be more subversive than an edgy take.
Of course, it doesn't need to be sunshine and rainbows all the time in the film. There needs to be conflict, and any movie taking place in the real world (or whatever version of the real world is established within the film) isn't going to be perfect. The concern is more that Barbie is going to make fun of the source material rather than treating it with genuine affection. A good parallel is the Paddington movies. This is another series based on a children's property, and it seems obvious that those involved in the creative process had a lot of affection for that source material. It is sweet and sincere and appeals to both adults and children, which is the exact reason why those movies were so beloved. This is the kind of tone that Barbie needs to hit.
Even if the show manages to pull off a tone similar to that of Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, it would work really well. Life in the Dreamhouse is an animated series that's a lighthearted comedy in the style of a reality show, with characters getting confessionals giving commentary on the events. The show is wacky and a bit satirical, without making fun of Barbie as a concept. Life in the Dreamhouse often has characters making cheeky comments about being made of plastic or giving a metaphorical wink to the camera about whatever situation is happening. The tone still has that edge of sincerity rather than cynicism, and it would be a good middle ground for Gerwig's Barbie to hit.
Again, a lot of this is conjecture since there has been no indication of what Barbie will be about. Hopefully, they already had these things in mind. However, because so much nostalgia media is often created to make fun of the original property, the fear is still there for some fans. Barbie has always been fairly feminist in its own way, and as a franchise, it has always been about more than the stereotypes that people (often men) like to place onto it. Hopefully, Gerwig's project will be able to latch onto those ideas. With any luck, it will avoid the stereotypes that have plagued Barbie for years, and made young girls think they're not strong or independent because they happen to see Barbie as their role model.