
Barbie
In Barbieland everything appears perfect. An idyllic world that captivates and dazzles. A pure fantasy that has taken the world by storm.

'Barbie' is an almighty smash hit. Released for summer 2023, it was expected to be the sensation of the season, but its success exceeded even those expectations. It was hugely popular and has secured a spot in the top-10 highest-grossing films of all time. This was a resounding victory for Warner Bros (WB) and a dream scenario for any film studio. With eight Oscar nominations, "Barbie" has attained cult status. Not only did it demolish box office records, it also earned critical acclaim, a feat most films can only dream of.

Warner Bros' triumph with 'Barbie' surpassed even its achievements with the Harry Potter saga and the Batman series. The studio has now planned several iconic cinema remakes for the coming years, including 'Beetlejuice 2', 'Dune: Part 2', 'Heat 2', 'Joker', and the Mad Max saga.

For years, the 'Barbie' project was passed from studio to studio with nobody ever willing or able to take the decisive step. It was a gamble, but WB finally took the plunge, bringing it to the screen. Though not a cheap endeavor, the film's earnings far exceeded its budget.

Warner Bros has been a cornerstone of the Oscars, boasting wins with classics like 'Casablanca', 'My Fair Lady', 'Chariots of Fire', 'Driving Miss Daisy', and 'Unforgiven', picking up best picture nine times, trailing only behind Columbia Pictures, with 12, and Paramount, with 11.

This century, WB clinched best picture Oscar with 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'The Departed'. This year the studio is hoping for 'Barbie' to land the Oscar they haven't won since 'Argo' in 2012. Interestingly, WB has been the driving force behind Christopher Nolan's recent works, but not this year's stongest contender for best picture: 'Oppenheimer'.

The 'Barbie' phenomenon has propelled its director, Greta Gerwig, into the limelight. No other woman has seen her first three directorial efforts nominated at the Oscars: 'Lady Bird', 'Little Women', and now 'Barbie'. The versatile director (also an actress and screenwriter) boasts a total of 7 nominations.

Among its eight nominations, 'Barbie' has strong prospects in Production Design, led by Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, who have amassed seven nominations each without a win, and in Costume Design, with the twice-victorious Jacqueline Durran.

The major omission and surprise among the nominations was Margot Robbie. The Australian missed out on her third nomination after 'I, Tonya' and 'Bombshell'. She is nominated as one of the film's producers.

Nominated are Ryan Gosling (his third nomination) and America Ferrera for supporting actress, internationally renowned for her role in 'Ugly Betty' some years ago. Gerwig's partner, Noah Baumbach, earns another nod in screenplay.

'Barbie' almost certainly won't leave empty-handed. It competes for Best Original Song with two nominations, most notably for Billie Eilish's 'What Was I Made For'. Eilish is no stranger to winning, having secured an Oscar in 2021 for the most recent James Bond theme.

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- Production:
- Development
- Design