Margot Robbie as Barbie in the film. Photo: Warner Bros
Margot Robbie as Barbie in the film. Photo: Warner Bros
Margot Robbie as Barbie in the film. Photo: Warner Bros
Margot Robbie as Barbie in the film. Photo: Warner Bros

Barbie movie 2023: Cast, release date and trailer as second teaser is released


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Fans of doll, Barbie, who celebrated her 63rd birthday this year, have been given a a glimpse of the much-anticipated big-screen debut of their favourite toy.

On Tuesday, Warner Bros released a second trailer for the film, which stars Suicide Squad actress Margot Robbie as the popular but divisive doll and Ryan Gosling as her boy toy Ken.

Directed by acclaimed actress and filmmaker Greta Gerwig, the starry cast also includes A-listers America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Dua Lipa and Helen Mirren, among others.

On Tuesday, Warner Bros also released character posters, offering more details on who some of the stars are playing. Lipa, for instance, is a mermaid, while Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan plays a diplomat. Rae's Barbie is a president, while The Umbrella Academy actress Ritu Arya is a Barbie with a Pulitzer Prize.

In December, Warner Bros released the highly-anticipated film's first teaser and offered a glimpse of what was to come.

“Since the beginning of time, since the first little girl ever existed, there have been dolls. But the dolls were always and forever baby dolls. Until …," says a narrator as girls are shown playing with dolls in a scene reminiscent of the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick's seminal 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

A giant Barbie then appears, wearing the striped swimsuit first seen when Mattel launched the toy in 1959, as the girls begin to destroy their outdated dolls.

The scene then cuts to Barbie's all-pink and colourful universe as glimpses of some of the film's other stars are shown, including Gosling, Rae and Liu.

When is 'Barbie' coming out?

The Barbie film is set to be released on July 21, 2023. Shooting began in London this year and wrapped in July.

Who is playing Barbie in the movie?

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling rollerblading on the set of Barbie in Los Angeles, California. Photo: MEGA / GC Images
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling rollerblading on the set of Barbie in Los Angeles, California. Photo: MEGA / GC Images

The titular character is being played by Australian actress Robbie, 31. The star has appeared in The Wolf of Wall Street, Bombshell and Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood. She also portrayed Harley Quinn in the Suicide Squad movies and its subsequent spin-offs.

Robbie was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar at the 2017 Academy Awards for her role as ice skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya.

But the film's huge cast means there will be many versions of Barbie.

A number of actors will also be playing humans, including Mirren, Ferrell and Ferrera.

Who is directing the Barbie movie?

Robbie has admitted she is aware of audience preconceptions about the film based on one of the world’s most famous blonds.

“It comes with a lot of baggage … and a lot of nostalgic connections,” she said in an interview with British Vogue last year. "But with that comes a lot of exciting ways to attack it.”

In a bid to bust those biases, producers brought Oscar-nominated writer and director, Gerwig, on board.

Oscar-nominated Greta Gerwig co-wrote the film and is also directing. Photo: A24
Oscar-nominated Greta Gerwig co-wrote the film and is also directing. Photo: A24

Gerwig, who wrote and directed the 2017 indie favourite Lady Bird, teamed up with her partner and fellow Oscar-nominee Noah Baumbach to write the movie. Baumbach wrote 2005’s The Squid and the Whale, as well as the acclaimed Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver film, 2019’s Marriage Story.

“People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’” Robbie told British Vogue. “And then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t.'”

Why has the Barbie film taken so long?

Anne Hathaway and Amy Schumer were both attached to the project before Margot Robbie. AFP
Anne Hathaway and Amy Schumer were both attached to the project before Margot Robbie. AFP

Rumours about a Barbie movie first began in 2014. Over the years, many famous actresses, directors and writers have been attached to the project.

Sex and the City writer, Jenny Bicks was linked to the film in 2014, but was later replaced by the Oscar-winning writer of Juno, Diablo Cody. With Cody on board, comic actress Amy Schumer signed on to star as the real-life doll, but dropped out in 2017 citing scheduling conflicts.

“The film has so much promise, and Sony and Mattel have been great partners,” Schumer told Variety. “I’m bummed, but look forward to seeing Barbie on the big screen.”

After Schumer left, Anne Hathaway was signed on to step into the rubber heels, after which Cody left the project. It was left to gather dust until Robbie came on board.

What other toy-based movies are in the works?

Barbie is merely one of a handful of movie projects being lined up that are based on toys created by Mattel, which made the doll.

Other toys in line to get the big screen treatment include, the Magic 8 Ball, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, the Masters of the Universe, dolls Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy, and the robot toy Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em.

Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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Updated: April 05, 2023, 6:24 AM