Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ Appears in Greta Gerwig Film Trailer Thanks to Nicki Minaj Sample

The 1997 song "Barbie Girl" by Danish Europop group Aqua led to a lawsuit that was ultimately dismissed.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Greta Gerwig's Barbie appears to have brokered some peace more than 25 years after the eponymous doll inspired a lawsuit.

As Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice revealed Thursday as being part of the movie's star-studded soundtrack lineup, their song was teased at the end of the newest trailer for the highly anticipated summer film, sampling the 1997 bop "Barbie Girl" by Aqua.

The Danish Europop group also gets a feature credit on the soundtrack, thanks to "Barbie World (with Aqua)."

Although the song has long been synonymous with the cultural phenomenon that is Barbie, Aqua lead singer Lene Nystrøm's manager Ulrich Møller-Jørgensen told Variety last year, "The song will not be used in the movie."

Margot Robbie, Barbie, Greta Gerwig
Margot Robbie plays Barbie in the latest trailer for Greta Gerwig's Barbie, premiering July 21 in theaters (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Møller-Jørgensen did not immediately respond to The Messenger's request for comment.

Although the infectious bop eventually defined a generation, Mattel filed a lawsuit against the group and their label MCA for trademark violation, accusing the band of compromising Barbie's reputation with sexually suggestive lyrics. The toy company even came after the group for using their trademarked "Barbie pink" color in promoting the song.

"Barbie Girl" was ultimately protected under the First Amendment as parody, with a judge writing in his opinion that "the parties are advised to chill."

KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR as Ken, RYAN GOSLING as Ken, MARGOT ROBBIE as Barbie, SIMU LIU as Ken, NCUTI GATWA as Ken and SCOTT EVANS as Ken
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken, Ryan Gosling as Ken, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Simu Liu as Ken, Ncuti Gatwa as Ken and Scott Evans as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures' <em>Barbie</em>. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

Reps for Mattel and Minaj did not immediately respond to The Messenger's request for comment.

The latest trailer for Barbie also teases music from Dua Lipa, as well as a star-studded ensemble featuring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Hari Nef and many more.

ANA CRUZ KAYNE as Barbie, SHARON ROONEY as Barbie, ALEXANDRA SHIPP as Barbie, MARGOT ROBBIE as Barbie, HARI NEF as Barbie and EMMA MACKEY as Barbie
Ana Cruz Kayne as Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Hari Nef as Barbie and Emma Mackey as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures' <em>Barbie</em>. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

Robbie stars as the iconic doll, who sets off for the real world after her reality in Barbieland begins to unravel and she starts questioning her mortality (heavy territory for Barbie, but pretty appropriate for a Gerwig joint).

Although she and Ken (Gosling) bring a much-needed splash of color to Venice Beach, they quickly end up behind bars and on the run from a nefarious toy exec (Ferrell).

Barbie premieres in theaters July 21.

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