Anne Hathaway's Barbie movie delayed until 2020, perhaps due to Dreamhouse renovations

By Alex McLevy  |  January 24, 2018 | 7:52pm
Aux News Barbie

The long-in-the-works Barbie movie is once again being delayed, perhaps to give Ken some time to take a close look in the mirror and realize the truth he’s been denying for too long. The big-screen iteration of the iconic Mattel doll was originally set up with Amy Schumer in the lead role (and co-writing the script), suggesting a slightly edgier version of the famously retro toy, maybe one that smokes a blunt or something. But after Schumer dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, Mattel quickly recruited Anne Hathaway—a star with plenty of experience playing a well-coiffed children’s character—in order to maintain the June 29, 2018 release date. Hathaway also brought with her a hand-picked director (Fun Mom Dinner’s Alethea Jones), presumably to try and meet that date.

But much like the friends of an overeager theater kid trying to convince them to play dress-up eight months before Halloween, everyone involved seems to have realized it would be better to just stay home for now and do it when it makes sense. Deadline reports the film has been pushed back to May 8, 2020; apparently Mattel didn’t care for Schumer’s screenplay revisions, because while the film currently boasts a total of six credited writers (including Diablo Cody and Sex And The City writer Jenny Bicks), she isn’t one of them.

Mattel holding off on crapping out a rushed product makes sense for all concerned. Deliver a shitty movie and there goes all your chances for that sweet, sweet corporate synergy and franchise potential; take your time, do it right, and with a little luck you get something closer to The Lego Movie, still the gold standard for this kind of absurdist let’s-turn-a-toy-into-a-movie thinking. (Not to mention the endless merchandising opportunities that would attend a successful film launch.) Let’s find out if two years is enough time to make a not-terrible movie about a doll expelled into the real world from “Barbieland” for being imperfect. (We’re already guessing “no,” if anyone is in Vegas and can place a bet for us.)

 
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