Amy Schumer's Shocking Tell-All: The Real Story Behind Her Barbie Movie Departure

Amy Schumer, though no longer involved in the Barbie movie, still made sure to watch it and has shown her support as a fan. Taking to Instagram on July 24, 42-year-old Schumer humorously remarked, "Had a great time watching Barbie and Oppenheimer, but I feel like I could have nailed Emily Blunt's part. Step up your game, Hollywood." She accompanied the post with a picture of herself wearing a straw hat.

Schumer, like many others, chose to watch both Barbie and Oppenheimer's films during the weekend. However, unlike most fans, Schumer had a personal connection to one of the movies. She was initially cast in a different version of Barbie, but later Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig took over the project.

Schumer's involvement in the film was announced in December 2016, but she withdrew three months later due to scheduling conflicts. In a statement at the time, she expressed disappointment but expressed excitement about seeing Barbie on the big screen, acknowledging the film's potential and Sony and Mattel as supportive partners.

Margot Robbie Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

In June, Schumer revealed that her departure from Barbie was due to creative differences with the original film team. Despite previously citing scheduling conflicts, she clarified during an interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen that the real reason was creative disagreements. She expressed her excitement for the new team's feminist and cool approach to the movie and mentioned her intention to watch it.

When asked by host Andy Cohen if the initial script lacked a feminist and cool vibe, Schumer enthusiastically confirmed. She had previously stated that Sony, the original producer of the film, had a significantly different concept for Barbie. Ultimately, Warner Bros. ended up producing the version spearheaded by Gerwig.

(L-R) Ana Cruz Kayne, Sharon Rooney, Alexandra Shipp, Margot Robbie, Hari Nef and Emma Mackey. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

In March 2022, she shared with The Hollywood Reporter that they were not interested in doing it the way she wanted. She expressed her disinterest in the approach they took by recalling the gift of Manolo Blahniks she received to celebrate her role in the film. Reflecting on this, she realized that the assumption that every woman would want such a gift made it clear that they had chosen the wrong person.

While fans will never know what a Schumer version of Barbie would have been like, the Gerwig version has undeniably been a success. The movie, released on July 21, surpassed box-office expectations by earning a remarkable $155 million in its opening weekend, making it the highest-grossing debut of the year. Furthermore, it set a new record for the biggest opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman, solidifying the success of Barbie.

Oppenheimer, meanwhile, finished the weekend in second place with an impressive $80.5 million opening.