2023 is a Barbie world. Netflix and Shondaland have acquired the worldwide rights to Black Barbie: A Documentary, which premiered a work-in-progress cut of the doc at the SXSW Film Festival back in the spring. The film is directed by Lagueria Davis (The Exchange). The rights acquisition is part of an overall deal that executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers have had since 2017 following the success of Bridgerton, which they executive produce. Milan Chakraborty, Camilla Hall, Grace Lay, Sumalee Montano, Ayanna Hart, and Jyoti Sarda also executive produce. David produces with Rebecca Kent, Brianne Klugiewicz, Ashley Reese, Rebecca Ruhm, and Aaliyah Williams.
Black Barbie: A Documentary Coming to Netflix After SXSW Cut Shown
Audiences at the film festival got a taste of what Davis aims to do with the film. The final cut will round out the vision to explore how three Black women at Mattel created the first Black Barbie doll. Stories will be told to show how it all came to be in the 1980s while also highlighting its impact on Black communities, particularly girls growing up to have a doll that represented them.
In a statement via Netflix, Davis said that “telling Black Barbie’s story has been such a personal journey.” She said that having Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride, the women pivotal to making Black Barbie, in the documentary “warms my heart.”
It is fitting to have a Barbie documentary come out this year, particularly one about the first Black edition of the doll. This year, Greta Gerwig blew up the box office with her movie, starring Margot Robbie. The film not only earned $1.4 billion at the box office, but it showed a diverse set of Kens and Barbies. Insecure star Issa Rae portrayed the President of this pink world, while also representing the achievements of a Black Barbie.
Black Barbie: A Documentary is still in the making. No date has been set for when to come to the streaming service.
