Is there anything more iconic than Barbie? From revolutionizing the toy market all the way back in the late 1950s to the massively popular 2023 feature film directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Barbie is a household name who has now become synonymous with everything hot pink and hyper-feminine. Of course, Barbie is not without her fair share of criticism, with her anatomically incorrect and extreme hourglass figure as well as her strict adherence to traditional and Euro-centric beauty standards for women, not aging well throughout the years.
All of this aside, no one can deny Barbie's bright and everlasting star power, and it's clear that she isn't going anywhere soon. A big part of her success, especially during the early 2000s, was her multiple CGI-animated films that depicted classic fairytales, ballet, and literature that have since become cult classics for the now grown-up millennial and Gen-Z audiences. As there are so many films featuring Barbie (29+ and counting!), it's crucial to single out the very best from the most popular Barbie movies out there. With the success of Gerwig's Barbie, fans looking for more may want to binge-watch the very best movies from audiences' childhoods that introduced the beloved character.
10 'Barbie and the Three Musketeers' (2009)
Director: William Lau
Premiering on Nickelodeon on November of 2009, Barbie and the Three Musketeers is the 16th entry in the film series and features the character as Corinne d'Artagnan. Corinne is a young adventurer who wants nothing more than to become a musketeer, and she gets the chance to do so alongside her friends Aramina, Renée, and Viveca, who join her efforts at foiling an evil plot.
With an empowering message delivered effectively by its female-led cast, the vibrant Barbie movie is one to remember. While there’s not much novelty in its plot (inspired by the 1844 novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas), it somewhat makes up for it by emphasizing the characters’ positive traits and why they deserve to be called role models for younger audiences.Rent on Apple TV
9 'Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia' (2006)
Directors: William Lau, Walter P. Martishius
In the less successful but still entertaining follow-up to Fairytopia, Elina (Barbie) seeks support from a hesitant mermaid called Nori, and the duo set off to rescue a merman held captive by the villainous Laverna. Elina must soon use her newfound powers to save both the merman (Nalu) and the entire ocean from Laverne’s evil plans.
Mermaidia cashed in on the hype surrounding everything about mermaids back in the 2000s. While it fades into the background when compared to that saturated subgenra, it does stand out among the Barbie movies for its underwater setting that allowed for more creative – if not somewhat dated – visuals.Rent on Apple TV
8 'Barbie as the Island Princess' (2007)
Director: Greg Richardson
Barbie as the Island Princess features the character as Rosella (or Ro), a young girl who is stranded on an island after a shipwreck. There, she grows up among the animals and is treated like family, until Prince Antonio finds her and introduces her to the rest of the world. Together, they hunt for clues about Ro’s past in the Kingdom of Apollonia.
The movie’s highlight is its musical numbers, which are some of the best in the entire franchise. Its score, composed by Arnie Roth with songs written by Megan Cavallari, perfectly complements its tropical and then royal setting. Does it make up for its uninspired plot that relies on overused tropes? Only a rewatch will help fans decide for themselves.Rent on Apple TV
7 'Barbie & the Diamond Castle' (2008)
Director: Gino Nichele
One of Barbie’s best odes to the power of friendship, Barbie & the Diamond Castle follows Liana and Alexa (the in-universe roles of the dolls, Barbie and Teresa), who one day receive an enchanted mirror. This signals the start of their challenging journey to the diamond castle, which will test their dedication and love for each other.
Alongside their cute puppies, Liana and Alexa’s adventure in the 2008 film makes the 13th entry in the franchise a special one. Their bond certainly reflects numerous friendships among young viewers, who learn a thing or two about the true value of those connections over material wealth.Rent on Apple TV
6 'Barbie: Fairytopia' (2005)
Director: Walter P. Martishius
The 5th Barbie movie and the first to have an original storyline, Barbie: Fairytopia is one of the more popular films in the franchise (that even spawned two sequels). It revolves around the experiences of a wingless flower fairy, Elina who boldly goes against the evil fairy Laverna and saves Fairytopia from her evil plans.
Featuring lovable characters like Bibble and Dandelion, it’s easy to see why Fairytopia is beloved by fans and critics alike. While its sequels didn’t manage to top the original, viewers can at least rely on a magical viewing experience if they decide to revisit the original 2005 film.Rent on Apple TV
5 'Barbie in the Nutcracker' (2001)
Director: Owen Hurley
As the first-ever Barbie film in the franchise, fans owe a lot to this 2001 classic that kickstarted the Barbie renaissance in the new millennium and allowed audiences to witness the doll in all her CGI glory. The film is obviously an adaption of the classic Tchaikovsky ballet, The Nutcracker, and is a fabulous and nostalgic Christmas flick that is perfect to watch alongside some hot chocolate for some holiday fun.
That being said, being the first film does mean that the animation is really just not the best and very dated, and it's sometimes a bit too much of a large distraction. Barbie's facial expressions are pretty glazed and flat and her eyes never quite look right, but it's still pretty charming and full of all the magic and sparkles that can satiate any Barbie fan.Rent on Apple TV
4 'Barbie of Swan Lake' (2003)
Director: Owen Hurley
Another film based on a famous Tchaikovsky ballet, Barbie of Swan Lake is a dazzling and magical film that is guaranteed to make you want to relive your childhood dream of becoming a ballerina all over again. Everything that you would want in a fairytale is found in this 2003 Barbie film; shapeshifting, talking animals, a unicorn, with lots and lots of frolicking and dancing in the woods.
This film, as fun as it is, has not gone without well-deserved criticism, especially in terms of antisemitism and how the main villains are portrayed in the film with heavy amounts of dangerous Jewish stereotypes. This is a pretty hard fact to ignore during the film's entire run as it really is blatant, even with all the magic and fun happening. Barbie of Swan Lake is a very well-loved addition to the Barbie film repertoire, but it's safe to say that it's not only the animation that hasn't aged the best.Rent on Apple TV
3 'Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses' (2006)
Directors: Greg Richardson, Terry Klassen
The ninth film in the Barbie Cinematic Universe and the first film to be distributed by Universal Pictures is of course Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, which is full of magical dance numbers and dazzling visuals. Catherine O'Hara also voices the film's animated villain, who unsurprisingly does an excellent job and helps to make this one of the best Barbie films in the entire franchise.
The heart of Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses lies within the loving relationship of all the sisters (even if their ages are slightly confusing), who may argue and disagree, but end up loving each other just the same. There's also the overlying message of the importance of solidarity and the strength of creativity still holds up pretty well.Rent on Apple TV
2 'Barbie as Rapunzel' (2002)
Director: Owen Hurley
As only the second film of the Barbie empire, it is filled with awkward animation and the same dead eyes that afflicted almost every early 2000s CGI animated media, but that just adds to its nostalgic charm. Unlike other films on this list, Barbie as Rapunzel has really held up well over the years and the story is just as fun and compelling as it was when you first saw it.
The talking animal sidekicks in the animated movie, with one of them being a literal purple dragon who has a complicated relationship with her purple dragon dad, are also pretty fun and helped paved the way for other talking animals in future Barbie endeavors, and the villain is more than a delight to watch. If you haven't seen this Barbie film you are seriously missing out, and is a quintessential must-watch.Rent on Apple TV
1 'Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper' (2004)
Director: William Lau
What can be said about Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper that hasn't already been discussed? This film is undoubtedly the greatest Barbie film ever made, all thanks to an excellent idea to make the first-ever Barbie musical with songs that have since become staples of millennial and Gen-Z pop culture.
The story loosely follows the Mark Twain novel, The Prince and the Pauper, and focuses on the fabulously wealthy princess Anneliese and the indentured servant and almost physically identical Erika as they swap lifestyles and find love, because, of course, they do. While Erika's plight of working endlessly hard to support herself and her family is noble and understandable, Anneliese singing about how hard it is to be rich hasn't exactly aged well and is almost laughable to equate their struggles, but it's still an excellent film and pure art.Rent on Apple TV