When You Can Stream ‘Barbie’ at Home — Plus Where to Watch It Online
2023 has seen a lot of buzzworthy movies, but none caused more excitement than the Barbie movie. Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie features an all-star cast, including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Kate McKinnon. There was a lot of promotion for the film well before it came out, building expectations sky-high, and fortunately, the film more than delivered. Fans loved the subversive humor and message of female empowerment. Barbie went on to break records, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2023 to date. Fans who want to watch Barbie from the comfort of their homes should be able to catch the acclaimed flick before the official start of fall.
What is ‘Barbie’ about?
Barbie is the first live-action film about the iconic doll. The film, starring Robbie as Barbie, follows the doll as she goes through an existential crisis that sends her to the human world. Ultimately, she confronts gender stereotypes and develops a deep understanding of the way women have struggled to live up to unrealistic expectations.
The film features an incredible cast, including Gosling as Barbie’s counterpart, the loving and supportive, yet slightly neurotic Ken, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Issa Rae as President Barbie, and John Cena as Kenmaid, a merman Ken. There are also a host of hilarious celebrity cameos from famous faces like Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, and Dua Lipa.
‘Barbie’ has received excellent reviews
Barbie was released in theaters in July, the same weekend as Christopher Nolan’s historical drama Oppenheimer. The two films battled for box office supremacy, but for many fans, Barbie came away the clear winner. It also received incredible reviews, with many critics praising Gerwig’s directorial skills and others calling out the clever writing, which was both self-aware and hilarious.
On the review site Rotten Tomatoes, Barbie has 88% on the Tomatometer and an 84% audience score, putting the film in rarified company. As one critic noted, “Greta Gerwig serves up a frothy confection of fashion and fun coupled with searing social critique of the iconic doll in the movie ‘Barbie.'” Another wrote, “It’s funny, it’s bright and uplifting, and I think has a lot to say about the modern world – both in terms of feminism and gender equality.” Most critics had a lot of love for both Gosling and Robbie, with one writing “Greta Gerwig levels up as a director and writer with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling delivering career best performances.”
When can fans watch ‘Barbie’ at home?
Barbie is still making a splash in many theaters, with its success extending its run in many markets. However, many fans who can’t make it to the theater and still want to watch the movie are eager for it to hit a streaming service. While there’s no exact date for when Barbie will start streaming, Looper has some tantalizing clues for when viewers can watch Barbie at home.
The publication notes that, based on the timeline of when Warner Bros. studios (the production company behind Barbie) releases movies to streaming, fans might be able to start streaming the film in late September. Since Warner Bros. has a partnership with HBO, Barbie will probably be streaming exclusively on Max, free for those who subscribe to the service. If you don’t want to wait that long or if you don’t have a Max subscription, there are other options. Barbie will likely be available to rent some time in the next few weeks on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. Hopefully, fans of the subversive, campy comedy will get the final word on availability soon!
