Ryan Gosling will get a chance to flex his acting chops yet again, as he will star opposite Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig's upcoming live-action Barbie film for Warner Bros.
Gosling is in final negotiations to land the role. Although initially passing on the opportunity to play Ken, Gosling found an opening in his schedule that allowed him to sign on as pre-production for the Warner Bros. film dragged on, and the studio was determined to have him on board since he was their only choice.
While at first glance, a Barbie adaptation may not be associated with something much more complex and weighty. However, Gerwig, who is coming off of two Academy Award-winning or nominated films in Lady Bird and the Little Women remake, will co-write the script with her partner and the critically acclaimed Marriage Story director, Noah Baumbach. Plot details remain unknown, but Deadline reports the film is now expected to be greenlit and the project is ready to begin its London shoot sometime in 2022. Other than Warner Bros.' attachment, Robbie will also serve as a producer for the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment production company with co-founder and husband Tom Ackerley. The production company was behind films such as I, Tonya, Birds of Prey, and Promising Young Woman.
Gosling and Robbie have become two of Hollywood's biggest stars, earning themselves each an Academy Award nomination for their work in La La Land and I, Tonya, respectively. Gosling, who is no stranger to starring in rom-coms, may have just landed his most fitting role, as he is sure to bring something unique and exciting as Ken to the project. Transitioning to epic blockbuster films such as Blade Runner 2049 and now the Russo Brothers' upcoming espionage thriller The Gray Man (with the Netflix film recently wrapped production), Gosling has also made a big splash in numerous indie films like Blue Valentine, Drive, and The Place Beyond The Pines.
As for Robbie, the star continues her hot streak after her 2013 breakout role in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, going on to reveal her talents depicting characters like Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and as Harley Quinn in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Robbie will lead the star-studded ensemble in David O. Russell's upcoming untitled film, and she has replaced Emma Stone to star opposite Brad Pitt and Tobey Maguire in Damien Chazelle's upcoming Babylon, while also recently joining Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.
Barbie is currently in development at Warner Bros.
Source: Deadline