Real Barbie fans know the cinematic universe surrounding the iconic blonde-haired doll spans many sparkling decades. Long before the new live-action, Greta Gerwig-directed film, Barbie made her movie debut as various animated fairies, mermaids, princesses, ballerinas, and even a musketeer. Starting in 2001, the original Barbie film series captured the hearts of young viewers everywhere with catchy songs and magical journeys that brought the doll to life.
With just over 40 movies in total, Mattel has made it clear that Barbie really can do it all. And while the animation style has definitely evolved, these films are still being made today for a new generation of Barbie fans.
From the original 2001 Barbie In The Nutcracker to the most recent 2023 movie Barbie: Skipper and the Big Babysitting Adventure, there are just so many Barbie movies to choose from. So we made things easy. Here’s a list of the 11 best Barbie movies to stream if you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia or just need more Barbieworld fun after watching Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling live their plastic lives on the big screen.
As the OG, how could Barbie in the Nutcracker not make the list? The magic and nostalgia of Christmas really help this film shine as Barbie recounts the renowned story of Clara and her nutcracker, as they set out to defend the town of Parenthia from the evil mouse king. With recognizable music, stunning choreography, sparkling gowns, adorable romance, and of course, a sugar plum fairy, Barbie in the Nutcracker is the “it girl” of Barbie movies.
Barbie As the Princess and the Pauper was the first musical movie in the Barbie film series, and its original songs remain iconic with fans today. Start singing “I’m just like you” in the theater before watching Greta Geriwg’s Barbie, and I’m positive you’ll be met with a few “You’re just like me”s in return. The movie tells the story of Princess Anneliese and her look-alike seamstress Erika as they pull a Parent Trap and swap places.
When Fairytopia’s guardian fairy Topaz goes missing and the flower town starts to die, wingless fairy Elina and her puffball sidekick Bibble set out to find a resolution. They must save the town from evil fairy Laverna who has kidnapped Topaz in an attempt to steal all her power. As the first movie with an original storyline, the plot is good, but let’s be real, Barbie: Fairytopia is only here thanks to the adorable Bibble.
Bibble is back!!! And so is Fairytopia. In this sequel, Elina must save merman prince Nalu from Laverna, who has kidnapped yet another one of Elina’s close friends. Elina must convince headstrong mermaid Nori to help her save the day, and just might have to sacrifice her brand new pair of wings.
Barbie of Swan Lake might just be the prettiest of the 41 films. The movie features impressive and enchanting dancing that was choreographed by New York City Ballet’s Peter Martins, and used the company’s ballet dancers for image capture. Aside from choreography, the sparkling gowns and beautiful Tchaikovsky music are what makes this movie so memorable.
In Barbie and the Diamond Castle, best friends Liana and Alexa embark on a dangerous journey to the hidden Diamond Castle that tests the limits of their friendship. With original songs and puppy companions reminiscent of Princess and the Pauper, this movie makes learning the complexities of friendships more than enjoyable.
Before Tangled, there was Barbie as Rapunzel. The film is famous for its impressive outfit-changing sequence where Barbie magically paints herself each dazzling outfit. Her adorable dragon and bunny companions help her escape Gothel and the tower in Barbie’s version of the beloved fairytale
Barbie becomes a girl boss in Barbie and the Three Musketeers — as if she wasn’t one already. She plays Corinne, a country girl who travels to Paris to follow her dream of becoming the first female musketeer. She teams up with three princesses who also want to be musketeers, and together, the new female musketeer team breaks gender stereotypes one matching dress at a time.
Barbie stars as Rosella, a young woman who’s been stranded on an island for most of her childhood and spends the majority of her time speaking to the animals around her. That is until Prince Antonio sweeps her off her feet and brings her back to the forgotten world she came from. Barbie as the Island Princess even boasts a love triangle between Rosella, Antonio, and his expected bride-to-be Princess Luciana.
Barbie makes her comeback as a ballerina in Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses — the first original ballet-centered film for the franchise. It follows Princess Genevieve and her 11 sisters. When their widowed father marries a strict Dutchess, the princesses’ daily dance parties are banned. But when they peek under the tiles of their bedroom floor (yes, all 12 girls share one bedroom), they discover a secret enchanted world where they can dance freely and… fly. Now, all they have to do is keep it a secret.
Barbie Mariposa & the Fairy Princess is essentially an updated version of Barbie: Fairytopia. The film follows butterfly fairy Mariposa, who goes on a journey to a magical kingdom. When an evil fairy attempts to destroy Mariposa’s home, she befriends Princess Catania, and the two work together to save the day.