Barbie aiming to rewrite male-dominated history at the Golden Globes

Research from William Hill Vegas has shown that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s Barbie could be set to defy long-standing male-dominated trends at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards.

The film is a strong contender for the prestigious Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category and, if victorious, could rewrite the history of the past decade of the award – not only a testament to its cinematic excellence but a reflection of the film’s commitment to overturning established male-dominated norms, both on and off the screen.

Over the last 10 years, the Best Motion Picture gong for the Musical or Comedy category has been a stronghold for male directors and films centred around male protagonists, with eight out of the 10 films featuring a male protagonist and nine having a male director. Martin McDonagh and Colin Farrell’s The Banshees of Inisherin was the latest example of this in last year’s ceremony:

Gerwig herself disrupted this trend with her 2017 film Lady Bird, featuring a female lead, but Barbie goes a step further by challenging not just the gender norms but also the narrative conventions; unlike Gerwig’s Lady Bird, which was an entirely original concept, Barbie is based on a prior publication or concept, making it a unique contender.

The film is currently the front-runner with William Hill in the Best Comedy or Musical Film category, currently holding leading claims at 5/6 for the award. However, the competition, all with male directors, is fierce – Poor Things (11/10), directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, seems to be the closest competitor, followed by The Holdovers (6/1), directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti.

William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, said: “Barbie has undeniably emerged as one of the cinematic titans of 2023, and Greta Gerwig is poised to script a historic chapter at the Golden Globes with a potential win for the Best Motion Picture in the Comedy or Musical category.

“In the last decade, Gerwig stands as the lone female director to clinch this award, achieving the milestone with Lady Bird in 2017—a film that notably featured a sole female protagonist. However, the narrative takes a remarkable twist with Barbie, as it defies the norms not just in gender representation but also by being grounded in a prior concept or publication.

“For the past four years, the Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category has been graced by male-directed films with male protagonists, all devoid of pre-existing conceptual roots. Barbie, standing in stark contrast, now holds the spotlight with odds favouring a breakthrough at 5/6. Any other outcome would extend the reign of male directors to an astonishing six consecutive years, with Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things (11/10) appearing to be the potential disruptor poised to steal the spotlight from Gerwig.

“As Hollywood holds its breath for the Golden Globe Awards, will Barbie dance into history, pirouetting past the status quo, or will it be a script deja vu? Come Sunday, we will see if Barbie’s tale is the showstopper that steals the scene and leaves a lasting mark on the Golden Globes stage.”