Margot Robbie's live-action Barbie movie adds Will Ferrell and Emma Mackey

Will Ferrell, Emma Mackey
(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Netflix)

Will Ferrell and Emma Mackey have been cast opposite Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig's live-action Barbie movie.

Written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, the fantasy drama – which is currently filming in London – sees Robbie's titular doll get booted out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough, before setting off on an adventure in the real world.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell has been geared up to play "the CEO of a toy company that may or not be Mattel", while details of Mackey's character remains under wraps.

The twosome will also be seen sharing the screen with Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and America Ferrera (Superstore) in the movie, as well as Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War), and Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Dark Phoenix). La La Land star Ryan Gosling, who is set to play Ken, rounds out the cast.

Mackey and Robbie's likeness has been a much talked about topic since the former rose to fame playing Maeve in Netflix's Sex Education, leading some fans to assume that Mackey will portray another doll in the film. It has also prompted them to call for the casting of other actors who have been compared to both Mackey and Robbie, such as Jaime Pressly and Ready or Not star Samara Weaving.

"All #Barbie needs is Samara Weaving to complete the trilogy with Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie," one Twitter user wrote in response to the news, while another joked: "My pitch was Robbie, Mackey, Samara Weaving, and Jaimie Pressly as different Barbie dolls who team up to pull of a heist at the Malibu Dream House."

Outside of Sex Education, Mackey has appeared in titles such as The Winter Lake and Death on the Nile. Ferrell's most notable credits include Blades of Glory, Step Brothers, and Anchorman.

Barbie has yet to announce an official release date but if its filming now, it seems reasonable to expect it sometime in 2023. While we wait, check out our roundup of the best fantasy movies and add a few titles to your to-watch list.

Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.

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