Barbie (media franchise)
Multimedia franchise based on the Barbie fashion doll.
Barbie is a multimedia franchise from the American toy company Mattel, built around the fashion doll of the same name that co-founder Ruth Handler created. The franchise kicked off with a video game in 1984, and has since expanded into numerous other video games, a series of films, and various media across television and the internet. It ranks among the highest-grossing media franchises ever, and fans sometimes call it the "Barbie Cinematic Universe."
From 2001 to early 2017, the film series came out direct-to-video, and starting in 2002, they aired regularly on Nickelodeon in the U.S. as TV specials. After mid-2017, beginning with *Barbie Dolphin Magic*, Mattel shifted the films to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV+. These later releases were marketed as animated "specials" with a shorter runtime of about one hour, unlike the earlier feature-length movies. Even so, they could still be released on home video in certain markets or picked up for television broadcasts in various countries and regions. Beyond the main film series, Barbie has appeared in other formats: two direct-to-video animated specials from 1987—*Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World* and its sequel *Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth*—along with web series such as *Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse*, *Barbie: Vlogger*, *Barbie Dreamtopia*, *Barbie's Dreamworld*, and *Barbie: Life in the City*, plus TV shows like *Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures*, *Barbie: It Takes Two*, and *Barbie: A Touch of Magic*, as well as a live-action film and an interactive film.
The Barbie doll itself first appeared on March 9, 1959, at the American International Toy Fair, and was well received in the U.S., sparking a toy industry revolution. Over time, Mattel released many versions of the doll, along with what became known as "Barbie's friends and family," plus clothing and accessories. Printed materials—hardcover books and comic books—starring Barbie came out through partnerships with Dell Comics, Marvel Comics, and currently Papercutz.
By the 1980s, Barbie’s popularity and sales in the toy market started to drop, and the situation worsened in 2001 when MGA Entertainment launched the Bratz doll line, whose sexualized look contrasted with Barbie’s older, chaste image. To keep the brand relevant, Mattel brought in consultants and conducted market research.
- field
- Multimedia franchise
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Fashion doll-based media franchise; one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time
- creator
- Mattel (co-founded by Ruth Handler)
- first_release
- 1984 (eponymous video game)
- film_series_start
- 2001 (direct-to-video)
Lore & Background
The franchise began with a video game in 1984. Mattel produced two television specials in 1987 with DIC Animation City and Saban Productions: Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World and its sequel Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth, both released direct-to-video by Hi-Tops Video. A planned newsmagazine series for fall 1987 by Mattel division MTS Entertainment never progressed beyond a presentation at the 1987 NATPE convention. In 2001, Mattel launched an in-house entertainment division and began the Barbie film series with the direct-to-video release of Barbie in the Nutcracker. The films initially revolved around Barbie as a princess and expanded into fashion and fantasy worlds. The film series were released direct-to-video from 2001 and aired regularly on Nickelodeon as television specials in the United States from 2002, both running until early 2017. Since mid-2017, beginning with Barbie Dolphin Magic, Mattel revamped them into streaming television films, branded as animated "specials" with a reduced 1-hour length, moved to streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and Apple TV+.
Reader's Guide
The Barbie media franchise is significant for its role in revitalizing the Barbie brand during a period of declining doll sales, particularly after the 2001 introduction of Bratz dolls by MGA Entertainment. Mattel's research showed girls spending more time online than with physical dolls, leading the company to adapt Barbie into various digital and media formats. The film series, initially direct-to-video and later streaming, allowed Mattel to sell dolls specific to each film and related merchandise. The strategy worked: U.S. Barbie sales, led by the princess line, increased by two percent in 2006, saving Mattel's bottom line. The franchise expanded into web series such as Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse (debuting May 11, 2012), Barbie Vlogger (first video June 19, 2015), and Barbie: Dreamtopia (launching May 21, 2016). Scholars examining the films concluded that Mattel intentionally attempted to remediate its brand based on feminist criticisms through storytelling. The franchise remains one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
Did You Know?
- The franchise began with an eponymous video game in 1984.
- The film series were released direct-to-video from 2001 and aired on Nickelodeon as television specials from 2002.
- Mattel produced two television specials in 1987 with DIC Animation City and Saban Productions.
- Barbie Vlogger (or Barbie Vlogs) uploaded its first video on June 19, 2015.
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