Plus, Which Barbie Movies Are Worth Watching

Barbie is an iconic doll with a line of toys, movies, and accessories dating back to 1959. The doll was created by Ruth Handler and named after Ruth’s daughter, Barbara. Furthermore, Ruth and her husband, Elliot Handler, were co-founders of Mattel Toys. Barbie and her best friends have 43 movies dedicated to the doll, her escapades, and her friends. There have been 42 animated movies and one live-action Barbie film. One of the most popular movies, Barbie of Swan Lake, is from 2003. The first Barbie film wasn’t made until October 2001 and is Barbie in the Nutcracker. You want to know how to watch all the Barbie Movies in Order, and I am here to help you with the Barbies animated movies list.

Remember, not all Barbie movies are worth watching unless you are a diehard Barbie fan. Therefore, I will also give you the ratings of each movie so you can determine which ones you want to watch and which you may decide to pass over.

TOP 10 BARBIE MOVIES: (According to IMDb ratings)

These are the best Barbie movies according to the IMDb ratings. However, you may have a favorite that is not on this list. Additionally, the complete list of all Barbie movies in the film series is below.

1. Barbie 2023 Live-Action film – PG-13 IMDB Rating: 7.4 (Rotten Tomatoes 84%) This live-action film features Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. While this is definitely not for children, it is an interesting view of Barbie going through an existential crisis.

2. Barbie: Skipper & The Big Babysitting Adventure – TV-Y. IMDb rating: 7.3. Skipper is a babysitter, but takes a summer job at a water park.

3. Barbie: Epic Road Trip – IMDB rating 7.3. This is the first interactive Barbie movie. Barbie goes on a cross-country adventure with her friends. Help her decide which dream she should choose. 

4. Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper – IMDb rating 7.0. (Rotten Tomatoes 75%) This is the first animated Barbie musical debuting in 2004. It is based on The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. Princess Anneliese and her look alike, Erika, cross paths, and are forced to live out their hearts desire.

5. Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses – TV-Y. IMDb rating 6.8. (Rotten Tomatoes 75%) Barbie is on a dancing adventure along with Princess Genevieve and her 11 dancing princess sisters. They find a secret entrance to a a magical world, and work together to save the day.

When several movies have the same rating, I listed them in the order of the Rotten Tomatoes ratings.

6. Barbie: Princess Charm School – TV-Y. IMDb rating 6.5. (Rotten Tomatoes 74%) Blair Willows is a poor girl. She lives in the Kingdom of Gardania and wins a lottery to attend Princess Charm School.

7. Barbie as the Island Princess – TV-Y. IMDb rating 6.5.(Rotten Tomatoes 74%) A young woman named Ro is marooned on a tropical island paradise.

8. Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus – TV-Y. IMDb rating 6.5. (Rotten Tomatoes 69%) Barbie plays Princess Annika. Her parents have been turned to stone by an evil wizard named Wenlock. Can Barbie reverse the spell?

9. Barbie as Rapunzel – IMDb rating 6.5. (Rotten Tomatoes 67%) Loosely based on the German fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm.

10. Barbie of Swan Lake – TV-Y. IMDb rating 6.4. (Rotten Tomatoes 59%) Odette is a shy country girl who loves to dance. She is turned into a swan.

All the Barbie Movies in Order of Release Date

This Barbie movie list only includes movies, not short films or sing-alongs. Obviously, real Barbie fans will want to watch the films in release order starting with the first film. 

The target audience for films in the Barbie movie franchise is aimed at young girls, and these movies all carry a TV-Y or G rating. However, in the latest film, Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is rated PG-13 and targets adult Barbie fans. Kelly Sheridan played the voice of Barbie from 2001 until 2015. 

Barbie Movies: 2001 – 2008

1. Barbie in the Nutcracker – Release Date: October 2, 2001. This first Barbie movie is loosely adapted from The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by ETA Hoffman and features the music by Piotr Illych Tchaikovsky. This is the first of many Barbie films to be computer-animated. Tim Curry plays The Mouse King. This first film in the Barbie series features Barbie telling the story of the Nutcracker to her younger sister Kelly. A young girl named Clara gets a nutcracker from her aunt for Christmas. 

2. Barbie as Rapunzel – Release Date: October 1, 2002. 

3. Barbie of Swan Lake – Release Date: September 20, 2003.

4. Barbies as the Princess and the Pauper – Release Date: September 28, 2004. First animated Barbie musical.

5. Barbie: Fairytopia – Release Date: March 8, 2005

6. Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus. Release Date: September 20, 2005.

7. Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia – Release Date: March 14, 2006.

8. The Barbie Diaries – Release Date: May 9, 2006.

9. Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses – Release Date: September 19, 2006.

10. Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow – Release Date: March 13, 2007

11. Barbie as the Island Princess – Release Date: September 18, 2007.

12. Barbie: Mariposa – Release Date: February 26, 2008

13. Barbie & the Diamond Castle – Release Date: September 9, 2008.

14. Barbie in a Christmas Carol – Release Date: November 4, 2008.

Barbie Movies: 2009 – 2014

15. Barbie Presents Thumbelina – Release Date: March 17, 2009.

16. Barbie and the Three Musketeers – Release Date: September 15, 2009.

17. Barbie in a Mermaid Tale – Release Date: March 2, 2010.

18. Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale – Release Date: September 14, 2010.

19. Barbie: A Fairy Secret – Release Date: March 15, 2011.

20. Barbie: Princess Charm School – Release Date: September 13, 2011.

21. Barbie: A Perfect Christmas – Release Date: November 8, 2011.

22. Barbie in a Mermaid Tale 2 – Release Date: February 27, 2012.

23: Barbie: The Princess & the Popstar – Release Date: September 11, 2012.

24. Barbie in the Pink Shoes – Release Date: February 26, 2013.

25. Barbie: Mariposa & The Fairy Princess – Release Date: August 27, 2013.

26. Barbie & Her Sisters in A Pony Tale – Release Date: October 22, 2013.

27. Barbie: The Pearly Princess – Release Date: February 15, 2014.

28. Barbie and the Secret Door – Release Date: August 7, 2014. Princess Alexa is a shy princess who finds a secret door that takes her to a land filled with magical creatures.

Barbie Movies: 2015 – 2020

29. Barbie in Princess Power – Release Date: February 26, 2015.

30: Barbie in Rock ‘N Royals – Release Date: August 13, 2015.

31. Barbie & Her Sisters in the Great Puppy Adventure – Release Date: October 8, 2015.

32. Barbie: Spy Squad – Release Date: January 15, 2016.

33. Barbie: Star Light Adventure – Release Date: August 29, 2016.

34. Barbie & Her Sisters in a Puppy Chase – Release Date: October 18, 2016.

35. Barbie: Video Game Hero – Release Date: January 31, 2017.

36. Barbie: Dolphin Magic – Release Date: September 18, 2017.

37. Barbie: Princess Adventure – September 1, 2020.

Barbie Movies: 2021 – Present

38. Barbie & Chelsea: The Lost Birthday – April 16, 2021. The Roberts family is on a cruise. Chelsea wants her birthday to come sooner, so she goes to sleep. When she wakes up she finds that they have crossed the International Date Line and she has missed her birthday. 

39. Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams – September 1, 2021. Musical Barbie movie. Barbie goes to a summer performing arts program and meets Barbie. These new friends explore New York City and they compete for the Spotlight Solo from Times Square.

40. Barbie: Mermaid Power – September 1, 2022.

41. Barbie: Epic Road Trip – October 25, 2022.

42. Barbie: Skipper and the Big Babysitting Adventure – Release Date: March 16, 2023.

43: Barbie – Live Action – Release Date: July 21, 2023. Rated: PG-13. This is the first live-action Barbie movie and it stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Directed by Greta Gerwig. 

This list also does not include video games. Funny story about video games. My only daughter had the Barbie Riding Club video game and she loved to play that game when she was a little girl. However, her brothers always came along and deleted her progress so they could save their video games. Even as adults, they still have arguments about those events.

​Frequently Asked Questions:

Where Can I Watch the Animated Barbie Movies?

​Some of these movies are on Netflix. However, not all of them are listed there. You can rent the others on Amazon Prime.

Can I stream the older Barbie animated films on Disney+?

No. Disney+ does not own the rights to Barbie. However, the seven newest animated movies are available on Netflix. However, all the movies can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime.

Who is William Lau?

William Lau is an award-winning director with over 16 years of experience in the CG animation industry. Additionally, he directed ten animated Barbie movies, and the Princess and the Pauper received the Children’s Title of the Year Award.

​What is the next animated Barbie Movie?

Next up: Barbie & Staci to the Rescue will be released on Netflix in 2024. It will feature four new songs.

How many Barbie-animated movies are there?

Currently, there are 42 animated movies and one live-action movie.

What is the meaning of the Live-Action Barbie Movie?

While many people have tried to explain the Live-Action Barbie movie, you can read my theory on the meaning behind the Barbie movie.