someone needs to capitalize on the bcu (barbie cinematic universe)
Written by Daphne Bryant
Barbie. Whether you love her, hate her, or feel indifferent, you have to admit that Barbie is an international icon and legendary doll franchise.
Image courtesy of Glam Magazine
The very first live-action Barbie film, directed by Greta Gerwig, absolutely dominated in the box office last year and brought a lot of attention back to Barbie and her world. Barbie blew me away; I actually saw it while I was living in the Netherlands (Dutch subtitles and everything), and really enjoyed it. I mean, there was great writing, incredible sets, and a lead who’s impossible not to love: Margot Robbie; I’m not surprised it became such a massive hit. What I am surprised about is that no big studio has actually taken the IP for any of Barbie’s animated movies and capitalized on their fanbase and nostalgic value. There are so many wonderful animated Barbie movies: Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, Barbie as The Island Princess, Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, Barbie: Princess Charm School, Barbie in A Mermaid Tale, just to name a few. These were some of my favorites growing up, and no matter how old I get I always try and make my new romantic partner watch some with me...it’s a thing.
I know I’m not the only one obsessed with these animated movies, and I’m also chronically online which means I also know I’m not the only person who was a little bit disappointed when Barbie (2023) writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach decided not to incorporate any of said animated Barbie movies into the film.Yes, I can appreciate the dedication to capturing the feeling of the actual doll lines that came before, but really? No weird talking animals, big fantasy gowns or meddlesome fairies? I think the only easter egg or small tribute we got was Dua Lipa’s Barbie, who resembles some of the mermaid characters we’ve gotten in the animated films but doesn’t go all the way.
This is Barbie we’re talking about here! Why wouldn’t we go all the way?
Image courtesy of IMDb
What’s great in general about Barbie is that she really is and can be so many things. Something super camp that a lot of the animated movies do is draw attention to Barbie’s versatility; you’ll notice that the titles (especially the OG ones) always start with Barbie as..., and then follows with some character. It’s like she’s an actress, playing all these different roles, which is so cool to me. Seriously, these movies are practically begging to be turned into live action masterpieces. I’m not saying they need the same production value and hype as Gerwig’s Barbie did, but I don’t doubt that there’s a market for it.
“It’s like she’s an actress, playing all these different roles.”
So! What movies should get turned into live action TV Shows, movies, or some other kind of media? I’ll share my personal thoughts, and provide a deep dive into all the different eras of the BCU so that you can all form your own opinions!
P.S. I try to go mostly in chronological order of when the films were released!
P.S. I know nothing about film. Just Barbie :0
the fairytale remakes
All four of the very first Barbie movies were retellings of classic fairytales: Barbie in the Nutcracker, Barbie as Rapunzel, Barbie of Swan Lake and Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper.As much as I like these films, I think Disney’s already monetized on most of them. I highly doubt enough people would pay to see a Barbie version of the Nutcracker, Rapunzel or Swan Lake in theaters, especially because there’s not a big difference between the Barbie versions and the originals, and these stories have already been retold so many times. I will vouch for Princess and the Pauper though: I think this would make an excellent Broadway musical. The songs from this soundtrack are high quality, top tier, arguably the best in the ENTIRE franchise!
fairytopia, mermaidia and mariposa
I’m already getting happy tingles thinking about the online Mariposa games where I got to design the wings and style the outfits of butterfly fairies.
My personal opinion is that these particular hyperfantasy films are best kept where they are: as animated movies for kids. I don’t know that many companies would put money into creating the CGI for these complex (but beautiful) worlds, and often the storylines in these films get really complicated and are sort of #dumb.
the barbie diaries
Image courtesy of Barbie Movie Wallpapers
The Barbie Diaries, released in 2006, is no different than your average high school teen drama, although in the BCU community it’s sort of seen as an outlier. Not even sort of: out of all the 2000s films it probably has the worst reputation (mostly because for some reason the animation and motion capture is super bad; let’s just say they tried something different and it did not sit well with fans). Still, I think this has a serious shot at getting turned into a live action TV show. Why? Well, a lot of companies are craving that ridiculous, unapologetically girl teen nostalgia that The Barbie Diaries offers. In the past few years we’ve seen remakes of She’s All That and original films with similar vibes such as Do Revenge, both released on Netflix.The Barbie Diaries is so unashamedly Y2K, with fun pop culture references, a BFF friend group, and pop punk band storyline added in for good measure; it fits perfectly in this reemerging category and would give the film a chance to be seen in a different light. I could see The Barbie Diaries as a limited series on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime, and no, I’m not just saying that because Dreamworldgirl Zine is so Y2K-inspired.This movie just genuinely has all the tools needed to make a hit teen drama.
barbie and the 12 dancing princesses
Image courtesy of Mattel
Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses is another fairytale remake, but I’ve grouped it in its’ own unique category. I actually do think this is a story worth retelling, but with a slightly different tone. The original Brothers Grimm tale is kind of dark (as to be expected of this folklore duo), and the Barbie version is also a little eerie and unsettling. I mean, the villain literally dances until she dies at the end, so I don’t think I’m crazy for thinking this would make a great horror film. I think you could either go YA with this or super adult and just wild and bloody and crazy, but YA is probably the safest option.I mean, just think: Karyn Kusama, director of Jennifer’s Body, would kill something like this (no pun intended).
barbie as the island princess
Yes, yes and yes again. Barbie as The Island Princess is genuinely a movie I could see getting turned into a live action musical any day, or a Broadway musical even. It has serious potential: great songs, a girl Tarzan for a main character, a mysterious long lost princess storyline and a chilling villain. What more could you want from a fantasy?
barbie & the diamond castle
Image courtesy of Amity Mf Blight
This is another 100% yes for me, and let me tell you why: Barbie & the Diamond Castle has been mercilessly queered, and for good reason. The main characters, Alexa and Liana, wear dresses that are literally the colors of the bisexual and lesbian flags. They’re best friends that live together in a secluded cabin, and make a living off of their garden (they’re basically cottagecore lesbians). In one scene they literally fly away from their male love interests on a RAINBOW that takes them to the perfect palatial paradise. And, to really drive it home, they fight off evil in this fantasy world by singing and holding their shared heart-shaped necklaces. I’m sorry, it doesn’t get more queer than that! Obviously I doubt that the creators of the movie were thinking MM YES GAY, but I do think it is the most gay Barbie movie out of all the movies on this list, and so, it deserves a sapphic reimagining. What’s good about this film (amongst other things) is that it’s completely original, with some small references to the Muses from Greek Mythology. I’m picturing a period piece,set in Greece,and Sappho is somehow involved!
For all the young queers who grew up making their Barbies kiss, a film like this, where we actually get to see Barbie being gay, would be unexpectedly healing.
it’s a barbie christmas
Mattel has put out two Barbie Christmas movies: Barbie in a Christmas Carol and Barbie: A Perfect Christmas. Personally, I don’t think either of these deserves a live action; in fact, in this case a live action would probably just become a Hallmark story. These two work just fine as animated films.
barbie and the three musketeers
Image courtesy of Rakuten TV
This is also one of those Barbie films that has a huge following. I remember playing the online and Wii games for it and just being so invested and getting my whole family into it.Barbie and The Three Musketeers has a real sense of action-adventure that many of the other Barbie films lack, which make it interesting and appealing for a live action audience. Even though a live action of The Three Musketeers technically already exist (which makes sense because this is also a classic story), that version only features male musketeers.The Barbie version is cool because it is centered around four incredible women who all look different; it encourages female empowerment. I can already imagine a star-studded cast right now, like Charlie’s Angels level of iconic. I also think it would be cool to see all of the leads’ unique, different talents be brought to life through their fighting styles, just like in the OG animated film.This one has potential to be a huge hit.
The mermaid tale franchise
I think Barbie in A Mermaid Tale, and its sequel, are so much fun. Surfer star turned mermaid princess: now that’s cunty. Barbie in A Mermaid Tale has a similar plot to H20: Just Add Water, you know, that equally nostalgic Australian TV show, which makes me think that it actually wouldn’t have much trouble getting turned into a live action.
barbie: a fashion fairytale
Though this came out a little later, in the modern-day plots era that lasted from 2010 to 2015, I do think Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale is iconic. I had the movie on DVD and really liked the idea that Barbie was an actress turned fashion designer, in search of a new spark. There’s even a fun subplot with Ken trying to win back her affections after a misunderstanding, and of course the allure of Paris will never be lost on the general public. I think this would make a great live action! I do think it could maybe get a little Lifetime movie-esque, but with a big enough budget this could easily have the same star potential as Emily in Paris.
barbie: princess charm school
Image courtesy of YouTube
Out of all the Barbie movies, I think Barbie: Princess Charm School is the one I see cosplayed the most. Maybe it’s because school uniforms are pretty easy to recreate (full blown fairies are a little harder)! Whatever the reason for the cosplaying is, I do think this film is deserving of all the praise. It’s set in the modern day, but has the same kind of magical atmosphere and feeling that those first Barbie movies gave me. Blair, the main character, is a barista who doesn’t come from a lot of money, but has a heart of gold. When her sister submits her for a highly sought-after lottery, Blair ends up winning and begins attending Princess Charm School, with the hopes of graduating, becoming a Lady Royal, and creating a better life for her adopted family. There’s a huge plot twist in this one (I won’t spoil it, but it’s pretty easy to figure out if you’re an adult), which I think would be fun to unravel in a live action film. I also think her roommates, Hadley and Isla (in my mind those two are gay for each other but that’s a different story), are great supporting characters with very distinctive personalities and hobbies, something that can be kind of rare to find in Barbie movies. What I mean is, everyone is so fleshed out, even the so-called villains. This would be a great live action, especially a YA one (think The School for Good and Evil)!
modern day movies that could maybe work
I think by the time 2010 hits the Barbie movies slowly start to lose their touch. While none of the 2010-2015 movies I’m about to mention are favorites of mine, I do think there could be an audience for them. Barbie in the Pink Shoes, for example, is a ballet story that transports us to different fairytale worlds and stories, paying homage to some of the first Barbie movies. Barbie & Her Sisters in a Pony Tale, is a sweet story that shines more of a light on her family and would appeal to animal lovers (definitely for a YA audience, no older). Barbie in Princess Power is the first time we get to see Barbie as a superhero, and I think it would be cool to see a studio other than Marvel take on a female superhero story. And, funnily enough, I think Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar would do better as a live action movie or TV show than the original would.The idea of a pop star and princess switching places is cool! I’m not crazy about any of these choices, so they won’t make the final ranking at the end of this article, but they’re not bad.
BARBIE AS HERSELF (2015-2017)
Image courtesy of Tumblr
This is a weird era of Barbie for me to reflect on. The animation starts to change, I’m much older at this point (12-14) and while I still occasionally checked in on the latest Barbie movie, they didn’t provide the same wonder that they used to. That being said, I still think there are some possible gems in here. For example, Barbie: Star Light Adventure gave me MAJOR Zenon vibes. It actually had a pretty cool storyline, fun writing, and the prettiest animation. In Barbie: Star Light Adventure we are literally dropped into a futuristic space adventure, which is something Barbie hasn’t really done before. I think a sci-fi Barbie is so sick, and it has the same kind of action appeal that Barbie and the Three Musketeers did. Fun fact, Barbie: Video Game Hero, which came out in 2017, was the final feature film in the series, and I actually didn’t mind it too much. It’s very Wreck-it-Ralph (the similarities are really there), so I don’t know that it would impress the general public, but maybe one special Black Mirror-esque episode or very short made for streaming series would work. I think a Barbie video game live action has the ability to be super meta, because so many of us played Barbie video games as kids.
barbie’s streaming television films
I’ll preface this section by admitting that I don’t think I’ve actually seen any of the movies I’m about to mention.This is Barbie from 2017-2024, and by this time I’m starting to develop a different taste and explore other avenues of entertainment. Still, I think they’re worth mentioning. Barbie: Dolphin Magic, Barbie & Chelsea: The Lost Birthday, Barbie: Epic Road Trip, Barbie: Skipper and the Big Babysitting Adventure and Barbie and Stacie to the Rescue are all family or friend-centric movies that definitely work better as animated kids’ movies. I feel bad for the children of today: Barbie movies just don’t hit the same as they used to. I might consider giving Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams, a 2021 musical adventure buddy comedy some love. It’s the first time Barbie actually meets another Barbie, and this Barbie is #black, which we love. However, there are some issues with this film. Even though Black Barbie from Brooklyn is much more qualified, white Barbie still comes out on top and is given all of this attention and grace, and while realistic, that just doesn’t seem like the best message to be sending out to young girls of color who do everything they can to stand out amongst their white counterparts.A live action version of this film that I would actually love to see is a champion story from the POV of Brooklyn Barbie. What does being a black Barbie look like? I think there’s a lot to unpack there, considering beauty standards, home/work stereotypes, and much more. Someone with an actual film background run with this concept please!
more useless fairytales
Image courtesy of BAZENYMADL
Now, let’s wrap this up by briefly talking about some of the fantasy movies that will definitely not get turned into live actions. I do think that while Barbie as the Magic of Pegasus is one of my favorite and most comforting Barbie animated films, it’s just too perfect as an animated film to be turned into a live action, and it’s also much too similar to Frozen and other popular movies like it. Thumbelina already has its’ own movie, so that’s out. Barbie: A Fairy Secret, Barbie: Mariposa and the Fairy Princess, Barbie: The Pearl Princess, Barbie and the Secret Door, Barbie in Rock N’ Royals, Barbie: Princess Adventure, and Barbie: Mermaid Power: some of these are just better animated, some of these storylines are genuinely awful or simple remakes of past Barbie films, and some of these came out too recently to have an audience with anyone but literal children. They all have one thing in common: they’re a no for me.
Sheesh! After doing that extensive trip down memory lane, I’m ready to go on a binge-watching spree! But before I do that, I’m going to rank my top ten animated barbie movies by how likely I think they are to be turned into live actions, with #1 being the most.
Barbie & the diamond castle (2008)
the barbie diaries (2006)
barbie and the 12 dancing princesses (2006)
barbie as the island princess (2007)
barbie: Princess charm school (2011)
barbie and the three musketeers (2009)
barbie in a mermaid tale (2010)
barbie as the princess and the pauper (2004)
barbie: a fashion fairytale (2010)
barbie: Star light adventure (2016)
That’s my list! What’s yours?
