While Warner Bros. and Mattel Films’ upcoming Barbie movie is sure to have some level of self-awareness about its protagonist status as a cultural icon in the real world, Mattel is adamant against including the very unofficial anthem of the iconic doll, which everyone actually knows by heart.
The little tease in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie that Warner Bros. shared this week – a still image of Margo Robbie, the whole cut and driving dream car – self-placed the project in the back of people’s minds as something they would actually like to see. Partly because of the bright, colorful, “fun” vibes the image radiated, a number of fans began speculating on what kind of music Barbie might include, and Aqua’s 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” almost immediately began to boil. Although you can easily imagine Barbie laughing a little at herself by acknowledging Aqua’s song, Variety reports that people hoping to hear “Barbie Girl” on the soundtrack will be greatly disappointed.
Speaking in essence about “Barbie Girl”, Lene Nistrom, manager of Aqua vocalist Ulrich Moeller-Jorgensen, said that “the song will not be used in the film.” Møller-Jørgensen did not elaborate on why Barbie Girl would not be in Barbie, but as Variety notes, this may have something to do with Mattel’s 1997 lawsuit against the trademark infringement group. Along with allegations of copyright infringement, Mattel also claims that the sexual consequences of Aqua’s song have damaged the Barbie brand and the company’s marketing plans. Mattel’s original claim was ultimately dismissed by a lower court, and his subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed. It seems safe to say that the toymaker’s feelings about the song have not changed.
Barbie is expected to hit theaters on July 21, 2023.
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