• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Fans believe The Simpsons predicted the Barbie movie mania

Home> Film & TV> News

Published 02:54 20 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Fans believe The Simpsons predicted the Barbie movie mania

Many noted the similarities between the 1994 episode ‘Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy’ and the hype around the Greta Gerwig movie.

Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis

Fans believe The Simpsons predicted the Barbie movie mania currently sweeping the world.

Now that the Barbie press tour has kicked into high gear, I’m sure there’s no shortage of pink consuming your social media feeds.

The film has dropped into cinemas around the world and people can't wait to see what all the fuss is about.

Advert

However, many Simpsons fans believe that the long-running animation series made yet another prediction, foreshadowing the Barbie hysteria happening right now.

Many have noted the similarities between the 1994 episode ‘Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy’ and the hype around the 2023 Greta Gerwig flick.

Warner Bros. Pictures

One scene shows anchor Kent Brockman addressing Lisa Simpson's campaign to make Barbie creators reinvent a Malibu Stacey - AKA Barbie - that is a better role model for young girls that doesn’t set harmful gender stereotypes.

Advert

The TV host says: "Thought it was unusual to spend 28 minutes reporting about a doll, this reporter found it impossible to stop talking."

The current Malibu Stacy utters phrases such as ‘Math is hard’ or ‘Don't ask me, I'm just a girl’ when you pull her little string.

Later in the episode, Lisa enlists Stacy Lovell, the doll’s creator, to launch a more feminist-empowering toy called Lisa Lionheart.

The doll is released and is instantly a big hit.

Advert

However, the creators of Malibu Stacy see Lisa's doll as a real threat and release a new figurine to bury Lisa Lionheart.

To Lisa and Lovell’s dismal, the new Malibu Stacy - which is just the old one wearing a ‘new hat' as Lisa points out - is wheeled in front of Lisa’s doll display, with little girls opting for Malibu Stacey instead.

Ah, genius.

Many fans have pointed out that art has intimated real life.

Advert

One Simpsons fan penned to Twitter: “If Barbie really is a feminist movie, it’s probably gonna be the plot of that one Simpsons episode.”

Another said: “Is the Barbie movie really just a feminist screed? I'd rather just rewatch the Lisa Lionheart episode of The Simpsons.”

While a third shared: “Have The Simpsons potentially predicted another thing? When Mattel releases Margot Robbie Barbie dolls, there's guaranteed to be adult men who will buy them and leave it unopened for their collection.”

Veteran Simpsons' scribes Josh Weinstein and Ben Oakley, who wrote ‘Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy’, recently sat down with Vanity Fair, to which they admitted that female fans often say this episode is their favorite.

Advert

And with the Barbie movie reigniting the discussion around how toys impact children, the episode is more relevant than ever, almost three decades on.

“I remember writing this and thinking, If I have a daughter someday, I want her to watch this episode and like it,” said Oakley.

Featured Image Credit: The Simpsons/Fox. Warner Bros.

Topics: News, Film and TV, Barbie, The Simpsons

Charisa Bossinakis
Charisa Bossinakis

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
7 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    248 million hour Netflix binge sees viewers watch all three seasons of number one show in a week

    The return of this Netflix drama has delighted fans

    Film & TV
  • 7 hours ago

    Woman reveals how she got 'perfect revenge' on cheating ex who was using her Netflix account

    The Redditor shared her genius way of getting back at her unfaithful spouse, and it's actually quite simple

    Film & TV
  • 9 hours ago

    One of Netflix's most watched series is being called a '10/10' by 'disaster' fans

    The Netflix series has been viewed more than 50 million times in just 19 days

    Film & TV
  • 10 hours ago

    Netflix viewers 'hooked' by forgotten drama that has perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

    The TV series has five seasons to date with the first releasing in 2015

    Film & TV
  • The Simpsons voice actor retires from voicing iconic main character and fans are devastated
  • The 20 Simpsons characters whose voice actors have been replaced over the years
  • The Simpsons fans are just realizing why Maggie is scanned in opening credits
  • Paul McCartney only agreed to appear in The Simpsons if there was one major change to main character