Sources have revealed that Ryan Gosling is in final negotiations to play Ken in Barbie, the upcoming film that is based on the iconic doll line from Mattel and stars Margot Robbie in the titular role.
As reported by Deadline, Gosling had initially passed on the role, but "insiders add that as pre-production dragged out and the studio remained persistent with him being their only choice, an opening in his schedule appeared, allowing him to sign on."
Deadline also notes that this casting was one of the final pieces in the puzzle and that "the hope would be to shoot at the top of 2022."
Barbie will be directed by Lady Bird and Little Women director Greta Gerwig, and she will also be co-writing the script alongside Marriage Story's Noah Baumbach.
Robbie was the one who casually revealed that Gerwig would be directing the film while also mentioning that a project like this comes "with a lot of baggage."
"Right, it comes with a lot of baggage! And a lot of nostalgic connections," Robbie told Variety. "But with that comes a lot of exciting ways to attack it. People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ’Oh, well, maybe I don’t…’”
Barbie has a planned 2023 theatrical release and Robbie will be producing the film with her LuckyChap Entertainment production banner. This film, which is now under WB's umbrella, was once set to be released by Sony and had both Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway attached to star at various points in its development.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.