In July 2023, Great Gerwig’s Barbie took the world by storm, rising to the top of the box office, however, that does not mean the movie was flawless, and there is one particular storyline that still needs a resolution via a Barbie spinoff movie. Barbie is a comedy fantasy movie following the eponymous character Stereotypical Barbie, as she realizes that her life in Barbieland, and life outside of it, may not be as seamless as she believes it to be. At this point, there is no confirmation that Barbie 2 is happening, but the world that is created in Barbie is vast enough to house any number of stories.
In fact, there are already certain storylines that appear in Barbie that are in need of clarification. Although Stereotypical Barbie manages to console Ken’s broken ego and gain control over Barbieland again, and Gloria and Sasha mend their strained relationship, there is another plot point that does not really see any change. From the start of the film, it is known that the company, Mattel, is run by men. It is obvious that these men know nothing about what girls want, or about what Barbie represents. At the end of Barbie, she and Gloria put these men in their place, but unfortunately, there’s no real satisfying follow-up.
Barbie’s Mattel Storyline Ends In A Totally Dissatisfying Way
Despite being a significant part of Barbie’s plot, the Mattel storyline does not really have a satisfying or complete ending. Although audiences watch the group of men hilariously meander their way into Barbieland, led by odd-ball Will Ferrell, when the Mattel execs finally come face-to-face with Barbie, nothing really happens. Like the Kens, they receive a lecture about how to treat women and themselves with respect and care, but there is no change beyond that. Though Gloria is given an opportunity to make Barbie dolls of her own, there is no indication that the management of Mattel has truly changed.
Ultimately, this is a major problem for Barbie as a whole. The movie shows that Mattel is run by men, and is clear that this doesn’t make sense, and is often a bad thing, however, nothing is really done about it. The men who started the film as Mattel CEOs remain Mattel CEOs. And though it is nice that Barbie confronts them about their failings, is that truly enough? Is it realistic to think that these men, who have been oblivious throughout the movie, can change so quickly? The lack of follow-up on the part of Mattel in Barbie is a large plot hole that could use fixing.
A Barbie Spinoff Set In The Real World Could Address Mattel’s Failings
To make up for Mattel’s failed Barbie ending, a Barbie spinoff could tackle the problem of Mattel’s all-male team. This spinoff could take place, at least some of the time, in the real world, and would be used to see real change at Mattel. Rather than relying on a brief talking to from Barbie, this movie would delve into the management problems at Mattel, and the ways in which diversifying their team of higher-ups would benefit the company and the world as a whole. Barbie builds such an interesting world inside of Mattel headquarters, and this could be used to the spinoff’s benefit.
While Barbie portrayed a small-scale takedown of the patriarchy, perhaps this Barbie spinoff could look at corporate greed. It is an issue that often goes hand-in-hand with patriarchy, and also, is incredibly relevant at this point in time. The spinoff could explore the ways in which people prioritize money over others’ wellbeing, and how that can cause a sort of rot within people. A movie set inside Mattel could go in many directions and follow various characters who already appeared in Barbie. All in all, this could be an opportunity to tie up a dissatisfying ending, but also tackle another important social issue.
How A Mattel Spinoff Could Realistically Work
For obvious reasons, a Mattel spinoff would have to look different from Barbie. The most obvious change would be having the film set mostly in the real world at Mattel headquarters. However, if this sounds boring, it does not have to remain that way. There are definitely ways in which Barbie and Barbieland can return to help with the overthrow of Mattel’s bad ways, and other Mattel products could make appearances as well. The spinoff could also bring back any number of real world characters from Barbie like Gloria. In all, a Mattel spinoff could be a sort of workplace comedy that finally sees some real change at Mattel.
