Behind the Scenes: Barbie's Original Director's Cut Reveals Surprise Celebrity Cameo

Article Overview

The Barbie movie's joke about Zack Snyder's Justice League almost referenced Ridley Scott's Blade Runner instead, with the director even making a cameo in an earlier draft.

The film, written by Gerwig and Baumbach, incorporates allusions to several movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Godfather.

The mention of the Snyder Cut was not intended to ridicule, but rather to symbolize the character's evolving circumstances. It should be noted that Gerwig was not aware of the Snyder Cut movement while writing this joke.

In a recent Q&A session at the WGA West headquarters, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, co-writers of the Barbie movie, disclosed that the joke regarding Zack Snyder's Justice League was initially intended to reference a different director's cut - Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. This playful jab would highlight the addition of scenes in Blade Runner to make the revelation that Deckard was a replicant more apparent, as well as the removal of the voice-over. Interestingly, an early draft of Barbie even included the possibility of Ridley Scott making a cameo appearance.

Baumbach: Our intentions were not to mock him. We hold a fondness for him, just like we do with all the references we include.

Gerwig: Every reference we had was out of love. We love Sly Stallone. Everything was a lighters-up tribute.

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The Barbie Movie's Snyder Cut Joke Explained

The Barbie movie cleverly references various films, including a playful parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey in its opening scene and a joke about The Godfather. However, one particularly memorable reference is a swipe at Zack Snyder's Justice League, which was recently released in 2021. In a powerful moment, Gloria, played by America Ferrera, delivers a monologue that breaks the Barbies out of their subservient trance. Writer Barbie, portrayed by Alexandra Shipp, describes the experience by comparing it to her invested interest in the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League in a dream-like manner.

When this joke received backlash from passionate Snyder fans, Gerwig, the co-writer, responded in an interview. She clarified that she did not have a personal stake in the Snyder Cut controversy and was not fully aware of all its details when she wrote the joke. Gerwig explained that the reference was intended to showcase the development of Shipp's character, rather than mock Snyder or his fans. Both the joke about Zack Snyder's Justice League and the nod to Blade Runner were meant to amusingly highlight these subjects, in a good-natured way, rather than to mock them.

Source: Variety

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of both Barbie and Zack Snyder's Justice League, I have mixed feelings about this news. On one hand, I appreciate the playful reference to the Snyder Cut movement in the Barbie movie. It shows that the filmmakers are aware of the passionate fan base that exists for Snyder's work, and they are willing to poke fun at it in a good-natured way. On the other hand, I am disappointed that the original director's cut of Barbie included a cameo from Ridley Scott instead of Zack Snyder. I think it would have been a great opportunity to show support for Snyder and his fans, and it would have been a fun nod to the Blade Runner franchise.

Overall, I think the Barbie movie's reference to the Snyder Cut is a clever and funny way to acknowledge the passionate fan base that exists for Snyder's work. However, I am disappointed that the original director's cut of Barbie included a cameo from Ridley Scott instead of Zack Snyder. I think it would have been a great opportunity to show support for Snyder and his fans, and it would have been a fun nod to the Blade Runner franchise.