Barbie has been inspiring young girls since 1959, and with the idea of a sequel to the beloved live-action film, she could have a lasting impact on generations to come. 

The live-action Barbie movie released in the summer of 2023 was a huge success, accumulating over $1.4 billion in the box office, making it the 14th-highest-grossing film of all time, according to CBS. Since then, people have been curious as to whether a sequel will be made, which elicits the question: What does this new age of Barbie mean for future generations of young girls? 

Barbie originally was an 11-inch-tall plastic doll with blonde hair, sporting a striped black and white one-piece. She was released in March of 1959 by Mattel, a California-based toy company. The president of Mattel, Ruth Handler, had come up with the idea for Barbie when she realized that many dolls at the time were modeled after babies. An act that, according to Handler, seemed to condition girls for motherhood. Handler thought dolls based on more grown-up women would help girls imagine what they could be someday. She drew much of her inspiration from her daughter Barbra, which is how the doll was given the name “Barbie.” 

With her growing popularity, Barbie began to model new looks and accessories. The doll’s iconic looks range from red carpet-dresses to nurse scrubs to presidential pantsuits. Barbie’s style showcases all of her amazing careers and sends the message to young girls that, like the tagline, they can be anything. 

After the film was released, millions of girls across the world showed up to the theaters decked in pink. For women who had grown up with Barbie, this trend of seeing the movie with their friends dressed all in pink, was a chance to relive happy childhood memories. For younger girls, this was a chance to create a new lasting memory. 

Following the media fad centered around the film, fans questioned whether a sequel would be made. There have been many articles and fan-made trailers speculating the announcement of a second Barbie, but nothing official. “I’d like the film to be the launch of a world and a bunch of different Barbie movies,” the director of Barbie, Greta Gerwig told the press. However, Gerwig hasn’t made any further comments on the topic. 

With the idea of a second Barbie movie and the new animated shows and movies that have already gathered popularity among young audiences, Mattel has the chance to continue inspiring young girls for years to come.