It’s Ryan Gosling, as Ken, the guy that Barbie probably dates in the upcoming Barbie movie, and it just blew my mind. Up until now, I wasn’t exactly sold on a Barbie movie. Remember Battleship, the movie? There’s a whole mess of uninspired adaptations around these days, but this one photo gives me some faith that director Greta Gerwig knows exactly what she’s doing. So, without further preamble, check out this photo that Warner Bros. Pictures (which is behind the film, and why we expect it on HBO Max eventually) just shared: Ryan Gosling, not only with that Ken Doll Smile, but with this particular side-parted bleach-blonde hair is just a perfect vision. Then, you’ve got the stereotypically chiseled body and arms, but then there’s the big Lebowskian rug that ties it all together. Look closely, dear reader, and you’ll see that Ken wears Ken-brand underwear. This shot feels straight out of a Tommy Hilfiger ad in the best way possible. And it pretty much sold me on a ticket. This is likely only the beginning of many great character photo rollouts. The Barbie movie cast is said to include Kate McKinnon, Nicola Coughlan, Michael Cera, Simu Liu and America Ferrera.
Analysis: The one piece of bad news about the Barbie movie
Barbie, set for a July 21, 2023 release date, seems like a perfectly fun time at the box office. That is, though, until you hear about the sole fly in the ointment. In April, Variety (opens in new tab) reported that Aqua’s iconic “Barbie Girl” song will not appear in the Barbie movie. Yes, so for everyone who understood that I was quoting Aqua’s song when I started this article with “Come on, Barbie, let’s go party,” we’ve got some bad news. This all is explained by the fact that Mattel (in 1997) explained in a trademark infringement filing that the song is potentially damaging to the Barbie brand. That said, don’t expect the Barbie movie to be completely PG. Its script is coming from Greta Gerwig and partner Noah Baumbach, who worked together on previous films such as Frances Ha and Greenberg, which aren’t PG at all. Next: There’s a new Netflix show with Melissa McCarthy just soared into the top 10. Barry season 4 is going to be coming to HBO Max, and we cannot wait. Plus, We’re wondering who dies in Stranger Things 4 volume 2?
