By Adam Chitwood

How do you follow a phenomenon like “Barbie?” That was the task put in front of Mattel Studios president and chief creative officer Robbie Brenner in the wake of the $1.4 billion-grossing, Oscar-winning feminist blockbuster that served as the opening salvo for the Mattel Studios brand.

Brenner joined the company in 2018, and at first it seemed like a surprising fit. Brenner had cut her teeth working for Miramax in the 1990s, later serving executive roles at 20th Century Fox and Relativity and producing indies like “Dallas Buyers Club.” Perhaps it’s exactly that foundation that spurred Brenner to enthusiastically hire Greta Gerwig to co-write and direct “Barbie” – and, crucially, to give Gerwig the freedom to make something truly unique.