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Did you know Mattel asked Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach to remove the shooting scenes from Barbie?

Gerwig and Baumbach's latest movie has become the highest grosser of the year with billion-dollar

Shramana Kar
Nov 03, 2023
Did you know Mattel asked Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach to remove the shooting scenes from Barbie?

A still from Barbie

Despite releasing alongside Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, Margot Robbie's Barbie has created history by being the highest grosser of 2023 with a collection of $1.38 billion, worldwide. Added to that, it has also become the highest collected movie for Warner Bros. as well in 100 years.

Barbie story

Barbie is a story about the iconic doll of the Mattel company, where she and her boyfriend Ken are having the time of their lives in the colourful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.

About Mattel

Mattel is an American multinational toy manufacturing company, founded in LA by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth and Elliot Handler in January 1945. It has a presence in 35 countries and territories; its products are sold in more than 150 countries. Mattel consists of three business segments – North America, International and American Girl.

What did Mattel ask?

Did you know Mattel had asked scriptwriter Greta and Noah Buambach to remove the iconic shooting scene from the movie? Yes, that's what we got to learn from the duo.

It is the scene where the Ken characters are all ready to fight on the beach. That moment when Will Farrell, who played the role of Mattel CEO, arrives in Barbie Land along with his armada of nameless male Mattel execs. At one point one of these execs gets shot with a fake arrow during the ensuing, bloodless mayhem.

Also Read: Marvel's I Am Groot gets nominated for Children's and Family Emmy Awards

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach revealed

“There was a note when we first turned the script on. On page 111: ‘Does a Mattel executive have to be shot?’ At the time we were like, that should just be on the ad!”, Noah told Tony Kushner during an interview.

To that, Greta also added, “But all the notes had a question mark at the end. It wasn’t like, ‘This has to happen.’ It was more, ‘But does he have to be?'.”

Although Gerwig also shared that Mattel did give them the right to make fun of the company. Gerwig said that Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz gave them a tremendous amount of trust and freedom.

Barbie is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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