Diablo Cody to Write Screenplay for Live Action Barbie Movie

Posted on March 5, 2015

Diablo Cody has inked a deal to write a new screenplay for the upcoming live action Barbie movie. Deadline reports that Sony Pictures made the deal with Oscar winner Cody after shelving the first draft which was written by Jenny Bicks (Sex And The City, The Big C).

This is one of those projects that has been kicking around a while and finally Sony has decided on the tone that it wants for the live action feature. It wants modern and edgy and it's going to get it. Diablo Cody is apparently a huge Barbie fan, so that's good. Because this film is going to have massive merchandising tie ins. Think of all the toys The Lego Movie sold.

Departing Sony head Amy Pascal will going Walker Parkes and Laurie MacDonald as a co-producer. So what, exactly, will Barbie do in this movie? Details are scarce, because the new screenplay hasn't been written yet. But the word is that Barbie will use her many skills to become involved in other people's lives and improve them "like a modern day Mary Poppins." So, we're sort of picturing Touched by an Angel, only instead of Roma Downey, the Good Samaritan will be played by a six foot young woman with a 17" waist and an enormous bust. Okay, that could work. But it would be better if she had superpowers.

Ms. Cody won an Academy Award for Juno. She also wrote and directed Jennifer's Body and wrote the screenplay for Young Adult, which starred Charlize Theron as a writer who returns to her hometown, but just can't seem to grow up.

Sony is going to give some lucky starlet a very big break. There will also be a rotating cast of young -- presumably quite attractive -- friends that can change from movie to movie. Because Diablo Cody is writing the script, this film just went from being another toy promotion vehicle to a very interesting project. We'll be interested to see what she comes up with.