Ryan Gosling Joins Margot Robbie Barbie Movie as Ken

What a weird, weird race to the bottom of the branded-IP media universe barrel we find ourselves in.

Deadline reports that Mattel’s plans to bring the iconic doll—under the stewardship of Margot Robbie in the title role and Greta Gerwig as director—to the big screen once more with her own film at Warner Bros. has just added a major “figure” (haha, oh lord, kill me now). The trade reports that Ryan Gosling has entered final negotiations to play bachelor, occasional paramour, and owner of many sets of purchasable fabulous clothes—and occasional extra best male friend for when Barbie hangs with her gal pals—Ken. Deadline reports that Gosling was Gerwig and Robbie’s only consideration for the vital role in the Barbie extended universe, but the actor had previously passed on joining the film… until production itself stalled enough that Gosling has returned to negotiations after clearing his schedule.

It’s a weird story, for a weird casting process, for a weird movie, but I guess when you’re already making a live-action Barbie movie and tap mumblecore icon Greta Gerwig to direct (and co-write, alongside Marriage Story’s Noah Baumbach) you should probably expect weird at this point. Gosling’s joining of the cast would bring the film project close to getting a green light, ahead of expected shooting sometime in early 2022. Details are being kept under a veritable box of Barbie’s alternative career outfits right now, but suffice to say, whatever Gosling’s take on the smooth-crotched object of Barbie’s plastic affections turns out to be… it’s probably gonna be even weirder than Toy Story 3‘s version of the characters, to say the least.

We’ll bring you more on the inevitable absurdity of the Barbie movie as and when we learn it.

Wondering where our RSS feed went? You can pick the new up one here.