Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Amy Schumer was initially cast as Barbie but ultimately left the role in 2017. (Read More Here).
Barbie will celebrate her 60th anniversary later this year, but somewhat amazingly, Hollywood, known for its thirst to turn any existing beloved intellectual property into new content, has never given us a live-action version of the famous fashion doll. That seems set to change with today’s announcement that Margot Robbie will be inhabiting the role. Or at least we think it should. We’ve been here before, after all. Back in 2016, Amy Schumer was reportedly set to take on the role, only to back out in 2017. Anne Hathaway was rumored as her possible replacement later that year, but never confirmed. Now in 2019, Robbie has snatched the role, but the changing of lead actresses (and increasingly moving to an actress who actually kind of does look like an actual live-action Barbie doll) only hints at the long saga the film has taken through development hell over the past few years. Here, a review of Barbie’s journey to the big screen.
With movies based on toys like Transformers and The Lego Move doing nice business at the box office, Sony decided to knock on Mattel’s door to strike a deal about a possible live-action Barbie movie. When Deadline first reported the news, it seemed like the film, a comedy, was being fast-tracked. Jenny Bicks, a former Sex and the City writer (and more recently known for writing The Greatest Showman) was attached. Former Sony Pictures chief Amy Pascal was reportedly deep into the details of the package herself. No plot details were announced, but a Sony source said the idea was an “unexpected, clever, and truly funny concept.”
Schumer said in a statement to Variety at the time, “Sadly, I’m no longer able to commit to Barbie due to scheduling conflicts. The film has so much promise, and Sony and Mattel have been great partners. I’m bummed but look forward to seeing Barbie on the big screen.”
Now, speaking with The Hollywood Reporter for a cover story about her new Hulu series Life & Beth plus her Oscars hosting gig, the comedian, 40, revealed that creative differences actually caused her to back out of the project.
“They definitely didn’t want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it,” she told the magazine.
Schumer recalled that the studio sent her a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes to congratulate her on the casting news: “The idea that that’s just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, ‘You’ve got the wrong gal.’ “
A spokesperson for Sony Pictures did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Schumer’s version of the movie was originally described as a story about Barbie getting kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough, landing her in a real-world adventure. It was slated to premiere in summer 2018.
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