Life in plastic is indeed fantastic, as HGTV has ordered a themed home-reno show ahead of this summer’s release of Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie. According to Variety, the new production will be titled Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, and it will follow a Southern California’s house journey into becoming a residency straight out of Barbie’s world. Eight teams of HGTV superstars will take on the challenge of transforming the house, which will include a disco vibe for Ken’s Den. The series will be hosted by supermodel Graham, who will be driving a pink corvette similar to the one used by the iconic Mattel doll. The winner of the show will get to live in the home after it is renovated.
In the upcoming movie, Margot Robbie will portray Barbie, who will be expelled from “Barbieland” for being a less-than-perfect doll. Looking for a new place to go, she will head towards the human world to find new happiness. The actress behind the role of Harley Quinn will be joined by a stack ensemble cast for the movie, which will include names such as Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell and America Ferrera. Gosling will play Ken, presumably looking for Barbie after she leaves her home. Time will tell if Barbieland will still look like the best option for the characters by the time the story is over, or if they’ll decide to stay in human world.
During the first trailer for the upcoming film, the tone and scale for the adventure are quickly established. The audience is told through narration how baby dolls were the only option available before the revolutionizing introduction of Barbie into the market. As young girls are seen playing with said dolls, Margot Robbie appears in front of them as the titular character, changing the girls’ perspective and leading them to smash their baby dolls on the ground. By the end of the trailer, there are a few glimpses of what appear to be complex musical numbers, and Ryan Gosling pulling off a Kent look straight out of the doll’s most bizarre presentations.
The Influences Behind Barbie
White Noise premiered on Netflix last year, telling the story of how a town surrendered to paranoia when a chemical disaster pollutes the air they breathe. The film was directed by Greta Gerwig’s husband, Noah Baumbach, and featured brilliant performances from Adam Driver and Gerwig herself. Surprisingly, the duo mentioned that Baumbach’s movie and Barbie “came out of the same place”, when talking about the inspiration behind both projects. As both films were written at the same time, during the first year of the pandemic, they informed each other during the process, even if their worlds are completely different.
You can check out the official trailer for Barbie below, before the movie heads to theatres on July 21:
