'Barbie' release shifted to 2020

Director Althea Jone's live-action film "Barbie" will now release on May 8, 2020.

Sony has pushed the release of the film, which was supposed to open in June 29, 2018, and then August 2018, reports variety.com.

Actress Anne Hathaway is expected to star in the movie. Actress Amy Schumer left the project last March, citing scheduling issues, and Hathaway is reportedly in talks.

The film has been developed in the vein of "Splash", "Enchanted" and "Big", with the main character getting kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough and winding up in a real-world adventure.

Lindsey Beer, Jenny Bicks, Kim Caramele, Diablo Cody, Bert V. Royal, Hilary Winston and Schumer have all worked on the script.

Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Amy Pascal are producing the film.

Parkes and MacDonald initiated the original deal with Sony and Mattel in 2014.

Mattel began selling Barbie dolls in 1959. Since then, Barbie has had 150 careers including serving as a princess, president, mermaid and movie star. Her signature pink Malibu mansion and sports car are also likely to be featured on the big screen. She's also appeared in all three "Toy Story" films.

--IANS

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