Fresh off Simu Liu’s grand entrance in the MCU with last year's blockbuster Shang-Chi and the legend of the Ten Rings, the Marvel star has found his next project. As reported by Variety, Liu will be joining the cast of Barbie in an unspecified role.
The news comes shortly after America Ferrera’s casting in the film, whose role is also still unknown, and Liu joins an impressive ensemble cast that features Birds of Prey star Margot Robbie as Barbie herself and Blade Runner 2049 star Ryan Gosling playing Barbie’s iconic significant other Ken. The film is being directed by Greta Gerwig based on a script she wrote with her long-time partner Noah Buambach. The film itself is based on the popular doll line of the same name, and it is a project that has been in development since 2019. Barbie is expected to start production in early 2022 at Warner Brothers’ Leavesden Studios in London, and it is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2023.
Robbie is also producing through her production company LuckyChap with the company’s executive Tom Ackerley. Mattel Films’ executive Robbie Brenner and filmmaker David Heyman are also serving as producers on the project.
With the massive amount of talent involved in this film, it will be interesting to see what Gerwig, Robbie, and now Liu will bring to this toyetic adaptation. Gerwig is coming off her Oscar-nominated films Lady Bird and Little Women(2019) which her screenplays for both films were included in those nominations. On the other hand, besides Robbie's endless acting credits, the actress has gone on to produce Oscar-nominated films like I, Tonya and Promising Young Woman which both won an Oscar. If this trend continues we could see Barbie as an Oscar contender with Ken and Barbie soaking it all in at their famous dream house. However, in all seriousness, this film has talent from every corner of its production, and it looks to have the best possible screenwriter, director, and cast money can buy to successfully bring the character of Barbie to life.
Liu was incredible as Shang-Chi and, from his SNL hosting gig alone, the actor has wonderful comedic timing. Just imagining him in a scene with Gosling’s Ken and Robbie’s Barbie, preferably partying, is already smile-inducing, and hopefully, we will find out whom he will be playing before the production begins shooting. For all the latest Barbie news, stick with Collider.