This Barbie is going on a global tour – and “just Ken” is coming along for the ride too. Ever since the announcement of Greta Gerwig’s celebrity-packed live-action Barbie movie back in 2019, the internet has been in a state of manic anticipation. The candy-coloured teaser trailer sent fans into a frenzy, while the poster, with its iconic tagline – She’s everything. He’s just Ken – quickly became social media’s favourite meme. It’s official – this is the summer of Barbiemania.

Well, Barbie fans now have yet another reason to celebrate. Not only are we getting a full-length Barbie movie, we are also getting a one-of-a-kind international cast tour. 

The stars of the film, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, dropped the news in a video posted by Barbie’s Twitter team. “Guess what, Barbie fans? You don’t have to go all the way to BarbieLand to meet Barbie and Ken,” Robbie began. “Because Margot and I are taking this show on the road,” chimed in Gosling.

The pair then revealed that they will be embarking on a global press tour, visiting fans in Toronto, Sydney, Seoul, Mexico City, Los Angeles, London, Berlin and New York City.

“We will see you guys there – it is going to be the best tour ever,” Robbie concluded. Well, step aside, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé – the Barbie tour is coming! While we don’t know exactly what this tour will entail, if the film’s press so far is any indication, we’re willing to bet it will be out of this world.

Let’s take a quick look at everything else we know about Barbie. 

Who will star in the Barbie movie?

As previously mentioned, Robbie will be leading the cast as Barbie, while Gosling is set to star in the new film alongside her as Ken.

Other cast members include Simu Liu (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings), Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters), Alexandra Shipp (tick, tick … Boom!), Helen Mirren and America Ferrera (Superstore).

Will Ferrell will also be making his return to feature acting in the new Barbie film after having recently starred in Apple TV’s A Shrink Next Door with Paul Rudd. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell is said to be playing the CEO of a toy company that may or not be Mattel. 

According to Deadline, the already star-studded cast features even more familiar faces. Sex Education stars Ncuti Gatwa and Connor Swindells (who play on-screen lovers Eric and Adam in the Netflix series) will be starring in the upcoming movie alongside recently confirmed Kingsley Ben-Adir (High Fidelity), Rhea Perlman (Matilda), Oscar winner Emerald Fennell (The Crown) and Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary). 

Scott Evans (The Lovely Bones), Ana Cruz Kayne (Anya), Ritu Arya (Humans) and Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats) have also joined the cast, which now includes Issa Rae (Insecure), Michael Cera (Juno) and Hari Nef (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).

Rounding out the cast, Dua Lipa will be playing a mermaid Barbie, Emma Mackey will play a Barbie with a Nobel prize in physics and Sharon Rooney plays a lawyer Barbie.

What is Barbie about?

The film’s full-length trailer reveals a very existential plot indeed. The clip begins in Barbie’s familiar dream world, but things start to seem a little off. Her showers turn cold, she falls from her roof and – gasp – her feet go flat.

She’s then given the choice: to remain in her perfect world or find out the true secrets of the universe. But once she decides there’s no going back, she and Ken are left to fend for themselves in the real world, where nothing is as it should be and there are some very important people out to get them…

Watch it for yourself below:

While we don’t know more about the plot yet, if Gerwig’s directorial reputation is anything to go by, we know that the film won’t be all rainbows and pink outfits. It’ll likely interrogate the doll story in a whole new light. We do know, though, that the film boasts a mightily impressive script, according to one of the film’s stars Simi Liu. He told GQ UK that a junior agent at his agency convinced him to give Barbie a go after telling the actor that the film’s script was one of the best he’s ever read.

“He literally said this verbatim,” Liu recently told GQ UK. “He was like, ‘If I could stake my career on any one script, it’s the Barbie script. I really think you should do it.’”

Liu also described Barbie as “wild” and “incredibly unique”, adding, “I wish I could just show you what we do day-to-day because it’s crazy.” The film isn’t a musical but Liu revealed that he’s been in plenty of dance rehearsals for the movie. 

What else do we know about Barbie?

Robbie is not only acting in the film, she’s also producing the project via her LuckyChap banner alongside her husband Tom Ackerley. This is just another notch to add to Robbie’s already impressive producer belt, which includes Netflix’s Maid and Promising Young Woman.

Robbie has previously spoken about wanting the film to provoke “a thoughtful conversation” while honouring the Barbie fanbase. She has also emphasised that its overarching aim is to subvert expectations.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Robbie said: “All we can say is whatever you’re thinking, it’s not that.

“People immediately have an idea of, ‘Oh, Margot is playing Barbie, I know what that is,’” she added. “But our goal is to be like, ‘Whatever you’re thinking, we’re going to give you something totally different – the thing you didn’t know you wanted.’” 

How are fans reacting to the Barbie press?

Initially, some fans were conflicted about Ryan Gosling’s casting as Ken, particularly when promotional imagery revealed him in character as a tanned, muscled figure with bleach-blonde hair and Ken-labelled underwear to match. Many made the link between Gosling’s new appearance and a popular UK reality show:

Others joked about the film “yassifying The Place Beyond The Pines” – but that hasn’t dampened excitement. Given the striking resemblance between Emma Mackey and Robbie, many fans are particularly intrigued to see what role the Sex Education actor plays in Barbie.

It seems as though the casting announcement really is a full circle moment too:

If there’s one thing this Barbie movie has nailed so far, it’s drumming up hype and anticipation.

When and where will the Barbie movie be available to watch?

Warner Bros. Pictures has confirmed that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is coming to cinemas on 21 July 2023.

Watch this space for updates. 

Images: Getty/Warner Bros Pictures