Key Takeaways:
– Sharon Stone tried to pitch a Barbie movie in the 90s, but her idea was rejected by the studio.
– Stone recently revealed the intriguing plot of her unsuccessful movie bid, aiming to show Barbie as powerful.
– The latest Barbie movie with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has received 8 Oscar nominations.
Sharon Stone’s Undisclosed Barbie Movie Pitch
Long before “Barbie” captured global interest with Margot Robbie’s mesmerizing act, Sharon Stone had envisioned a movie centered around the iconic Mattel doll. Stone recently unveiled details about her unfinalized Barbie movie pitch from the 1990s. The actress’s effort to make this movie got a cold reception from Hollywood, eventually leaving her idea uncaptured on celluloid.
During an interview on the “Fly On The Wall” podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade, Stone disclosed how her film idea was unwelcomed, leading to her dismissal from the studio. A friend and producer accompanied Stone while she pitched the movie, having the then-CEO of Mattel on their side.
The Details of Stone’s Barbie Movie
Reminiscing her rejected pitch, Stone narrated the vivid opening scene, which featured Barbie arriving at Mattel in her Barbie car escorted by secret service agents with feet as big as the car. As Barbie entered Mattel, everyone parted way recognizing her as the most instrumental member of Mattel.
In Stone’s vision, Barbie wasn’t just a doll but the queen of Mattel. The movie aimed to exhibit the influence and potential Barbie wielded in the world owing to her eminent status at Mattel. However, this portrayal of an empowered Barbie didn’t resonate well with the studio and her film concept was discarded implicitly due to the industry’s apparent hesitance towards female-centric movies.
The 2023 Revamp of Barbie
Fast forwarding to the present day, the 2023 Barbie movie faced an array of challenges before it was approved to be realized with Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig. The film, characterized by Gerwig’s meticulous direction and Robbie’s outstanding performance, achieved significant global recognition, meriting 8 Oscar nominations and confirming its place in cinematic history.
This global gem, however, underwent a turbulent development period. The Barbie project started in 2009, with Amy Schumer initially chosen for the lead role. However, Schumer left the project citing creative differences. Following Schumer’s exit, Anne Hathaway was approached to play Barbie, but her version of the movie couldn’t take off.
In 2018, Warner Bros. obtained the film rights. Margot Robbie’s production company stepped forward, pitching their own concept of Barbie movie with Gerwig as the co-writer and director, hence giving the project a fresh lease of life.
The “Barbie” movie, fuelling global fascination, provides a strong testament to the potential of female-led movies, a concept that had once been sidestepped. Sharon Stone’s eye-opening revelations and the subsequent triumph of the Barbie movie put forth a platform for reshaping Hollywood’s perspective on female empowerment and the potential of female-centric storytelling.
Today, with the movie streaming on Max and its remarkable Oscar nominations, Robbie’s Barbie continues to prove the world wrong, demonstrating that Barbie – and similar female characters – should, indeed, be powerful. Stone’s initial pitch might have been discarded, but through Robbie and Gerwig’s Barbie, Stone’s vision of a powerful Barbie has finally found expression on a global platform.
