Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was a cultural sensation, to say the least. It is a fantasy comedy film that is also the first Barbie live-action movie after many computer-generated versions of it. Named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, it achieved several milestones, like becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023 and the 14th highest-grossing film of all time.
Inspired by the pop-culture phenomenon that the movie has become, Mattel launched a collection of ‘Women in Film’ Barbies that is already gaining major social media points from the netizens.
Fans are on cloud nine as Mattel launches a ‘Women in Film’ Barbie collection
Inspired by Greta Gerwig’s groundbreaking blockbuster, Mattel launched its annual ‘Career of the Year’ collection which will focus on women in film. The dolls will represent many film vocations, like a film director, studio executive, cinematographer, and, of course, a movie star. Each doll will wear an outfit and accessory that matches her profession. For example, a Studio Executive one will have yellow sunglasses and a smartphone whereas a Cinematographer one sports a “Chase Dreams” purple t-shirt with a clipboard.
When Discussing Films posted the update on X (formerly Twitter), the response was overwhelmingly positive. While some are touting Mattel as “visionaries,” others attribute it to Greta Gerwig’s pop-culture impact. Check out some of the reactions below.
barbie movie effect pic.twitter.com/FzsstO2Bzm
— kami (@KamiAnimess) January 10, 2024
Visionaries at their finest. pic.twitter.com/8s4pIsiDS4
— Eric Pellinen (@EricPellinen) January 10, 2024
Little girl me would have been absolutely stoked about this collection idea
— Danika ♡ (@Pigs_FlyHere) January 10, 2024
Big slay
— animatedgaymer 🏳️🌈 (@nintendofan87tv) January 10, 2024
Love to see this🙌 Not much of a surprise tho given the MASSIVE success of Barbie
— CinemaBums (@Cinema_Bums) January 10, 2024
So far, more than 250 dolls have been released under Barbie’s ‘Career of the Year’ franchise, ever since it was launched in 2010. In addition to ‘Career of the Year’ dolls, they also released the dolls based on real-life icons which sold in minutes and now are getting resold in platforms like eBay.
Where to watch the Golden Globe-winning Barbie movie online?
One has to live under a rock to not know about the 2023 smash hit. The Greta Gerwig blockbuster took home two Golden Globes for inaugural cinematic and box office achievement and best original song for Billie Eilish and Finneas’ What Was I Made For? Now if there is still anyone left who has not watched it yet, fret not. Barbie is coming to the tip of your fingers on stream.
Barbie is streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max), including in American Sign Language, featuring ASL performer Leila Hanaumi. Max even hosted a special community screening on December 14, 2023, with Margot Robbie in collaboration with the Tony-winning nonprofit Deaf West Theatre and advocacy organization RespectAbility. Barbie is exclusively streaming on Max and is also available to digitally rent on Amazon’s Prime Videos and Apple TV.
The Career of the Year Women in Film collection will be available to buy from the Mattel Shop website, Amazon, Target, and Walmart starting January 10.
Frequently asked questions
What inspired Mattel’s Women in Film Barbie collection?
Mattel credited Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster Barbie as the inspiration for its Women in Film collection. Riding the cultural wave the movie created, the line celebrates women working behind and in front of the camera, translating the film’s themes about representation into a set of dolls modelled on real filmmaking professions.
Which roles does the Women in Film collection feature?
The collection features dolls representing key movie-industry jobs, including a film director, a studio executive, a cinematographer and a movie star. Each doll comes with profession-specific accessories, such as the studio executive’s sunglasses and smartphone, spotlighting the range of women’s roles across the filmmaking process rather than only on-screen stardom.
How did fans react to the collection?
Fans applauded the launch on social media, calling it a Barbie movie effect and praising Mattel as visionaries at their finest. Many said their younger selves would have loved seeing filmmaker dolls, viewing the collection as a positive extension of the film’s message about women’s ambition and their place in the film industry.
