A new full trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was released today, driving some fans into a frenzy about the reveal of the film’s plot in the trailer, while others feel it may be too derivative of other movies.
Introduction of a Narrative
The previous trailers released earlier this year featured stunning visuals and some good punning. But they didn’t offer fans any sense of the movie’s story. The newly released trailer shows that the film will follow Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Ryan Gosling’s Ken as they leave Barbieland and head into the real world for an adventure.
It also gives a better sense of characters beyond the multiple Barbies (played by Issa Rae, Dua Lipa, Hari Nef, and others) and Kens (including Simu Liu) we’ve seen in previous trailers. The new trailer significantly features Will Ferrell as an executive at Mattel, indicating that the movie won’t just introduce the central Barbie and Ken to any reality, but specifically, our reality where the toys exist.
The Hype Train Speeds On
The vast majority of fans are ecstatic about the new trailer. One says that the movie couldn’t premiere at the Cannes Film Festival because it would have forced the audience into a dangerously long standing ovation.
A new trailer for ‘BARBIE’ has been released. pic.twitter.com/DCsaiOxtaT
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 25, 2023
Many Letterboxd users are quick to deploy their five-star rating memes.
— elijah (@eligvstheworld) May 25, 2023
— jobu (@starplethora) May 25, 2023
Other fans are more excited to see the film sweep awards, including the Grammys.
I can see the Oscars. pic.twitter.com/QmB6cyvTKn
— Alejandro (@UcetaAl) May 25, 2023
I’ve seen enough. https://t.co/gCJuikRIOJ pic.twitter.com/1vpw2QuGJt
— Mister Mamas (@TheGentnyc) May 25, 2023
Shades of Don’t Worry Darling and Elf
Some note the plot’s similarity to Don’t Worry Darling, which also features an idyllic community that is too good to be true.
The true don’t worry darling https://t.co/zwr6JFQXy4
— Princess Weekes Discourse Free (@WeekesPrincess) May 25, 2023
And they agree that unlike that film, which landed as a significant disappointment for most, Barbie will “slay.”
This is like if Don’t Worry Darling (2022) slayed
— tricky nicky (@bjwhork) May 25, 2023
Then some think the new trailer resembles the modern Christmas classic Elf and applaud the meta casting of Will Ferrell.
It's literally Elf, but it knows it and casts Will Ferrell in the James Caan role. Not a complaint I highly approve 😆
— Soup 🔜 #LFCC (@AndorianSoup) May 25, 2023
Not All Comparisons Are Good
But not all of the comparisons to other media are celebratory. One person notes the similarity to Elf and Disney’s Enchanted and seems to think the narrative setup is a bit derivative.
is this not just elf or enchanted https://t.co/yWEEItgWlU pic.twitter.com/91boVEiO70
— •ᴗ- (@evadentz) May 25, 2023
Another even seems frustrated that the story will be a rehash of even older movies that see wide-eyed innocents thrown into a much darker world than the one where they’ve previously existed, like Blast from the Past.
That's basically the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie without Fearless Leader! And also it's Blast from the past
— MovieUsherMX – Noticias de cine y series (@MovieUshermx) May 25, 2023
We’ll Have To Wait and See
Whatever the new trailer makes you feel or think about the movie, we’ve still got just under two months until its release on July 21st, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Kyle Logan is a film and television critic and general pop culture writer who has written for Alternative Press, Cultured Vultures, Film Stories, Looper, and more. Kyle is particularly interested in horror and animation, as well as genre films written and directed by queer people and women. Along with writing, Kyle organizes a Queer Film Challenge on Letterboxd.