Cool Stuff: Mattel Is Giving Kate McKinnon's Weird Barbie Her Own Official Doll
She's Weird Barbie: She can do the splits, has a funky haircut, smells like basement, and now she can be yours! Mattel designer Javier Meabe has taken Kate McKinnon's breakout character from Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" film (read our glowing review here) and immortalized her as an official release as part of the Mattel Creations line. Weird Barbie is, of course, part of the Made to Move collection, which means she'll already be able to do the splits without needing to break her hip joints the way so many of us did as children.
There is a capitalist irony to Mattel making a doll that resembles the nightmarish results of being loved a little too rough, similarly to the way denim companies sell already distressed jeans, but I have no qualms admitting I smashed that pre-order button on Weird Barbie like I was attempting to beat the high striker at a summer carnival. Here's Mattel's official description for the doll:
If anyone knows anything about keeping it weird, it's Weird Barbie, a breakout character from Barbie The Movie. Our doll version wears an outfit inspired by one you'll see in the feature film, a bright pink dress with colorful artwork and puffy sleeves, and green snakeskin boots. She also features short tousled hair and markings on her face to emulate a doll that's been played with just a little too much.
Weird Barbie is a posable doll that will come in the collectible "Barbie the Movie" packaging, along with a certificate of authenticity (since plenty of doll resellers are probably already obliterating random Barbies to make their own). Weird Barbie cannot stand on her own, so if you're planning on putting her on display outside of the box, you'll need a doll stand or to put her in the splits.
Re-release the canceled dolls, Mattel!
In the "Barbie" movie, Weird Barbie serves somewhat as a Morpheus from "The Matrix" figure, propositioning Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) with her own blue pill/red pill decision, but with a high heel or Birkenstock sandal. We also learn that Weird Barbie's Weird House (which is modeled after the Bates home in "Psycho") doubles as a sanctuary for all of the dolls Mattel has canceled or discontinued over the years due to real-life controversies and moral panics. As far as I'm concerned, Mattel is leaving money on the table by not re-releasing some of these dolls. Okay, yes, Growing Up Skipper complete with boobs that grow is a little strange, but Mattel puts out dolls all the time that are geared towards adult collectors and not children looking to play, so who cares?
That goes double for the infamous Earring Magic Ken, the '90s Ken modeled after gay men in the club scene that is reportedly the most purchased Ken in history (because gay men bought him like hotcakes), but was pulled from the shelves because conservative pissbabies cried about Ken looking so fruity. Personally, I think they were just jealous they couldn't pull of lavender mesh themselves, but that's just me! Mattel has also expanded its general "Barbie the Movie" line of toys, but the prices of the character dolls have gone up after the initial run sold out. I am forever grateful that I impulse-purchased before the rush!
Weird Barbie is currently available for pre-order through Mattel Creations and will ship out sometime in May 2024.