Sony and American Toy Manufacturer Mattel have set their sights on Juno scribe Diablo Cody to rewrite the live-action Barbie film.
Previously, Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City, Rio 2) had been on script duties but Sony Pictures has opted to start afresh with Cody at the helm of the toy brand adaptation. Without doubt, the reputable, Oscar-winning screenwriter is an interesting if bold choice for the studio to make, given that Cody’s previous efforts — Jennifer’s Body, Charlize Theron vehicle Young Adult and, to a lesser extent, Juno — all harboured a sense of edginess to them that differentiated them from their genre contemporaries.
It remains to be seen whether the writer can adopt Barbie with a similar approach, who, despite claims of portraying a negative, unrealistic body image for young girls, is intended to represent female empowerment. In light of her appointment, producer Walter Parkes touched upon how Cody’s atypical writing style is exactly what Sony’s nascent project needs.
Diablo’s unconventionality is just what Barbie needs…It signals we’re going for a legitimately contemporary tone. We’re bringing her on because she had great ideas, but even more importantly, she truly loves Barbie.
Though Barbie has certainly made a splash in other mediums, with more than 30 straight-to-DVD movies under her glittering belt, Sony Pictures’ project marks the character’s first venture into the realm of cinema — the appearance in Toy Story 3 notwithstanding. And now that a proven screenwriter has been brought on board, the studio is certainly beginning to push ahead with the motion picture despite the naysayers.
But what do you think? Has Cody’s appointment given you a newfound confidence for Sony’s Barbie film? Let us know your early impressions down below.
