Barbie Movie Production Used 6,000 Extras, Gave $100 Million Boost to U.K. Economy

Publish date: 2024-07-13

She’s been a doctor, U.S. president and a movie star but in the U.K. Barbie may go down in history as the only doll to have contributed almost $100 million (£80 million) to the local economy.

The long-anticipated “Barbie” movie, which came out this summer, was largely shot in the U.K. at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, just outside London.

Now Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed that the Greta Gerwig-helmed film resulted in a massive boost to the U.K. economy thanks to the hiring of more than 6,000 extras, creation of 685 jobs and patronage of more than 750 local businesses.

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Hundreds of U.K.-based crew-members helped to recreate Barbie’s Dreamhouse (slash Mojo Dojo Casa House) inside the studio, with a number of heads of department — including production designer Sarah Greenwood and costume designer Jacqueline Durran — hailing from the U.K. The film’s U.S.-based cast, which included Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu, also spent months living across the pond while the film was shooting.

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“During its production in the U.K., [Barbie] contributed over £80m in direct spend to the local economy, created 685 jobs, involved over 6,000 extras, supported 754 local businesses, paid over £40m in local wages,” Warner Bros. Discovery told the U.K. government in response to a consultation about film and high-end TV production. “It has also generated over £95m in box office revenues in the U.K. alone.”

The movie generated $626 million at the domestic box office and has surpassed $1 billion globally.

Warner are planning to expand the Leavesden studio — which has also been home to the Harry Potter and Batman franchises — with 11 new soundstages, turning it into the main hub for all DC Studios projects. The company says the expansion, which will see a 50% increase in studio capacity, will create 4,000 new jobs and contribute more than £200 million to the local economy.

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