Amy Schumer is reportedly close to being cast as Barbie in the upcoming live action film based on a doll.
In a PG plot sure to set off empowerment alarms everywhere, the movie involves Schumerâs Barbie character being booted from the town of Barbieland for not meeting the townâs standards. Barbie expands her horizons, enters the real world and various lessons about self-esteem and body image are learned.
Deadline describes it as âa fish-out-of-water story reminiscent of films like Splash and Big,â intended as a comedic twist on what people traditionally expect of Barbie. For the studio, Schumerâs polarizing brand of self-critical humor, seemed like the perfect atypical vehicle for the movieâs message of self-love:
Given her edgy stand-up comedy and her movie breakthrough writing and starring in the R-rated Trainwreck, what makes Schumer the right actress to play the embodiment of a beloved toyline that for years featured a doll with impossibly perfect physical proportions? Aside from the fact that she has Barbie hair, Schumerâs growing stature as a role model for female empowerment fits perfectly with how the film will exploit Barbieâs evolution into dolls of different sizes and shapes.
No word on whether Schumerâs Barbie will happily binge drink and get to have one-night stands. Sony Pictures and the movieâs producersâwhich include former Sony chairman Amy Pascalâalso expect to hire a female director for the project.
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Production starts next spring, with a summer 2018 release. Whoâs playing Ken?
