In what has become something of a recurring trend in Hollywood lately, Reese Witherspoon is producing and may star in an origins film documenting the creation of Barbie. Not to be confused with the live-action project in the works over at Sony and Mattel, Witherspoon’s project is to be based on Robin Gerber’s novel, Barbie And Ruth: The Story Of The World’s Most Famous Doll And The Woman Who Created Her.
Production house Bold Films is behind the new feature, according to Screen International, which joins Big Beach’s Monopoly picture and Brett Ratner’s Tetris flick in the growing pile of atypical origins tales. It’s understood the latter of which will be stylized after David Fincher’s excellent The Social Network, documenting the legal fallouts that plagued the creation of the seminal brick-breaker.
As for this newly-hatched Barbie project, Witherspoon is collaborating with Bruna Papandrea’s Pacific Standard with the intention that the actress will topline the feature film. According to Bold Film’s chair Michel Litvak, Ruth Handler’s – the businesswoman and inventor who created the iconic doll – storied success acts as the perfect platform for cinema: “Ruth Handler’s inspiring true story reveals the triumphs and struggles of the genius businesswoman behind the creation of Barbie, the most iconic doll in the world.”
While we await confirmation that Witherspoon will lead the origins movie, a feature film documenting the creation of Barbie is just one of a number of projects lining her producing catalog, with Tinkerbell film Tink and supernatural drama Cold also cramming up the actress’ slate.
