Amy Schumer to play BARBIE

So, yes I was the loser in the daily themovies.co.za morning wrestling match and now I’m the one writing about a Barbie movie. Go figure. Losing in general I can handle, but losing out to Nick, that’s just unacceptable. How can I ever live this down?

But hey when you have news as weird as this, I guess it can’t be all that bad. And yes, if news of a live-action Barbie movie didn’t surprise you enough, perhaps news that Amy Schumer is in talks to play the title character (as reported by Deadline) might make you think a little differently about the movie. Yes, that Schumer, the one with the crude mouth, that one that wrote the R-rated Trainwreck and who is proud of her body not being your typical Barbie shape. Yes, that Schumer.

Indeed, outside of the blonde hair, there seems little to piece the two figures together. Though it seems the film’s producers, Walter Parkes and Lori MacDonald, have a different plan for what they would like the film to be about. Rather than have a movie filled with Barbie type characters living in a perfect world, the script by Hilary Winston will reportedly see Schumer play a character who lives in Barbieland, among all of the various Barbie characters beloved by doll collectors (I’m sure that’s quite a lot). Schumer’s Barbie gets kicked out, basically because she’s not perfect enough, is a bit eccentric and doesn’t quite fit the mold. She then goes on an adventure in the real world and by the time she returns to Barbieland to save it, she has gained the realization that perfection comes on the inside, not the outside, and that the key to happiness is belief in oneself, free of the obligation to adhere to some unattainable standard of perfection.

So essentially Schumer will be playing a Barbie, but not necessarily the Barbie we are all familiar with. Personally I love this take on the toy franchise, as it is packs a relatable story into a positive message about self-image, which is exactly the type of message that should be communicated to young girls. However, if you had hopes that Schumer’s inclusion might turn this movie into an R-rated comedy fest, think again as Sony Pictures is still planning on keeping everything PG friendly for the younger audience. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if they let some crude moments slip in.

The project doesn’t have a director yet, but if they can have a big star in Schumer, it shouldn’t take too long to secure a name. The Barbie movie is schedule for release in June/July of 2018, so they have some time to put it all together.

Now to just work on my muscles so that I can ensure I don’t lose to Nick again come review time.

Last Updated: December 5, 2016