*Includes spoilers*
Since the release of the record-breaking Barbie movie, the brilliant film has been the talk of the town. Not only is Greta Gerwig's directing work fabulous and her cast incredible, but eagle-eyed fans have spotted some hidden (and not-so-well-hidden) references when watching it, which we think is genius.
Throughout the movie, Greta has managed to sneak in multiple Easter eggs that fans have caught onto and since we love that Greta's gone to the effort of doing it, we’re here to explain some of our favourite ones.
Space Odyssey
The opening scene of the film is a clear reference and recreation of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey. Instead of monkeys as in the original, little girls that are playing with their dolls can be seen in the derelict landscape before a giant Barbie (Margot Robbie) appears.
The Wizard of Oz
While Barbie is cruising through Barbieland, some The Wizard of Oz movie posters can be spotted on display outside the local cinema. The overall landscape and aesthetic of Barbieland can also be attributed to The Wizard of Oz, with many fans thinking the pink roads seen all over Barbieland are a nod to the Yellow Brick Road.
BAX
A fairly obvious reference but still a very smart one to include is the BAX airport that is shown at the beginning of the movie. Similar to the Los Angeles airport, LAX, Barbieland has its own BAX airport.
Pegasus statue
During the beach scene, viewers can see a pegasus statue between the sand and sea. This is a nod to the 2005 movie Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus. This Easter egg is quite a niche one but old-school Barbie fans would spot the pretty mystical creature straight away.
The Matrix
Weird Barbie references the infamous 'red pill or blue pill' scene from The Matrix when offering Barbie the option to stick with heels in the life she knows or choose Birkenstocks to explore the Real World. As Neo (Keanu Reeves) in The Matrix gets to choose between his ordinary life or learn something new, the similarities between the scenes are obvious.
Bratz
When Barbie heads to a highschool in the Real World to meet Sasha, she is met with the teen and her three best friends who aren’t particularly fond of Barbie. Bratz, a known rival of Barbie’s, is made up of four women, with one of them named Sasha… coincidence? We think not! This reference hasn't been confrimed by Gerwig, but we love the idea of Bratz being included in the film!
Hidden B’s
There are SO many hidden ‘Bs’ throughout the film to represent the Barbie logo. Between clothing items and background decor, Greta Gerwig told Variety, “There must be thousands of Bs everywhere, because they also have, like, designs in the carpet”.
Sí se puede
Gloria’s husband (who is played by America Ferrera’s real-life husband) says ‘Sí se puede’ towards the end of the movie, which Gloria says is a political statement- it translates to ‘It can be done’ and ‘Yes you can’. The phrase was said during the 2002 Disney movie Gotta Kick it Up! that America starred in as a cheerleader whose team would say the phrase in order to hype themselves up before performing.
