Barbie mania hits Boston
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Mallika Singh living her best life on the Barbie boat cruise. Photo: Steph Solis/Axios
Life-size Barbie doll boxes. Custom-made dresses, earrings and T-shirts. Sold-out cruises and movie screenings.
What’s happening: It’s Barbie mania. The movie of the season is bringing out the self-proclaimed bimbos, himbos and thembos of Greater Boston for a hot pink summer.
Why it matters: Boston-area fans say the upcoming Barbie movie gives them a chance to rally around an unapologetically pink and bubbly icon at a time when the fight over abortion and LGBTQ+ rights are at the political forefront.
The big picture: The nationwide hype isn't just about nostalgia for Barbie, which has garnered a reputation for toxic femininity over the years. Fans say it's partly fueled by Greta Gerwig's subversive take on the icon and the inclusivity of the brand nowadays.
- "Barbie has come such a long way," says Mallika Singh, 32, who lives in the Boston area. She now sees dolls that look like her, a South Asian woman, and all kinds of other backgrounds that weren't represented just a couple of decades ago.
Plus: Efforts to reclaim being a "bimbo" and a femme as a radical act of gender expression have also contributed to the hype.
Zoom in: Barbie hits the big screen July 21, but theaters in Boston, Somerville and a handful of other cities are offering "Barbie Blowout Party" pre-screenings as early as July 19.
- The pre-screening at Majestic 7 in Watertown already sold out, per Fandango.
- The theater plans to offer drink specials, a photo op in a life-size Barbie doll box and other perks for all screenings, says Sabrina Starr, director of programming and events at CW Theaters, which owns the Majestic 7.
- Cinema: Salem is even hosting a Barbie-themed costume contest on July 21 with the clothing store Die With Your Boots On.
Flashback: Fangirl Fantasy, a local event company, worked with Warner Bros. Pictures to organize a free Barbie boat cruise last month. The tickets sold out in under an hour.
- Julie Russell, owner of Fangirl Fantasy and a self-described Barbie girl, says she hasn’t seen a marketing rollout for a movie like this in decades.
What they're saying: "I’m beyond excited to become my full bimbo-fied, Barbie self, surrounded by people I love, because that just feels fun and freeing," Lexa Marinella, a Weymouth resident told Axios.
- They plan to see the movie with a big group of friends.
The bottom line: "Right now, not all femme folks have the right to have fun and be free. But for one night, we can pretend that we do," they said.
Editor's note: Warner Bros. Pictures' title was corrected in this piece.