Before Greta Gerwig: 5 Surprisingly Good Barbie Movie Adaptations to Watch with Your Kids

Greta Gerwig's Barbie will forever be the best and most successful movie about the Mattel doll. But before it, there were many animated movies that most of us enjoyed as kids. Why not revisit them now, or even treat your own children to them?

Here are five of the highest-rated Barbie movies to rewatch.

Barbie of Swan Lake (2003, 6.5 on IMDb)

Like many other Barbie movies, Barbie of Swan Lake is a fairy tale narrated by the title character to her little sister. An adaptation of Tchaikovsky's ballet of the same name, the story follows Odette, a young woman who works in her father's bakery but dreams of becoming a dancer. One day in the local forest, Odette meets a unicorn, and this encounter changes her life forever.

Barbie as Rapunzel (2002, 6.5 on IMDb)

This adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale is another bedtime story that Barbie tells her sister. The movie focuses on Rapunzel, who is imprisoned in Gothel's magical mansion and dreams of one day seeing the world. And as she learns the truth about her own past and Gothel, Rapunzel learns to be brave and take responsibility for her life.

Barbie: Princess Charm School (2011, 6.6 on IMDb)

In this animated movie, Barbie doesn't read a fairy tale to her sister. Instead, the title character plays a teenage girl from the fictional kingdom of Gardania who gets the chance to attend a prestigious school for future princesses and ladies of the court. As she excels in her classes, Barbie's character learns the truth about her origins. She's a long-lost princess of the kingdom, but how can she prove it?

Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses (2006, 6.9 on IMDb)

Another adaptation of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, this film stars Barbie as Genevieve, one of the twelve titular princesses who live in a castle with their widowed father and share a passion for dancing. To teach them how to be proper ladies, the king invites his cousin, who turns out to be plotting to seize the throne and banish the king and his daughters from the realm. But the princesses are ready for a battle – a dance battle – to protect their family.

Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (2004, 7.0 on IMDb)

The first musical in the Barbie movie series, this flick is a loose adaptation of Mark Twain's novel The Prince and the Pauper. Though set in an unfamiliar fictional kingdom, the movie doesn't have any magical features as it follows Princess Annalise and Poor Girl Erika who accidentally swap lives due to a scheme devised by the evil court advisor. As they learn about each other's lives, they come closer to finding the happiness they crave.

All these movies are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.