25 Years Later, Barbie's Most Iconic Movie With Tim Curry Is Coming to Netflix Along With A New Special

Published Aug 29, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Merlyn De Souza is a freelance writer and anime enthusiast based in Goa, India, with a Bachelor's in English Literature. When she isn't writing, she can be found exploring various realms of entertainment, including, but not limited to, K-dramas, novels, and even the occasional manhwa. She also enjoys all things creative, like sewing and makeup. While Greta Gerwig's Barbie certainly had its moment in the spotlight, what's truly keeping the Barbie franchise alive decades later are still its iconic animated releases. Albeit not even referenced in the live-action box office hit, Barbie's animated movies, particularly its early releases by Mainframe from the 2000s, still hold a dear place in the hearts of many. On that note, after 25 years of being stuck behind rentals, the Barbie animated movie that started it all is making a comeback with a huge streaming update. Barbie in the Nutcracker is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and as part of the celebrations, the movie is finally coming to Netflix, along with a new remake. Barbie's Most Iconic Movie Starring Tim Curry Is Finally Coming to Netflix As per a recent press release by Mattel, Barbie in the Nutcracker is coming to Netflix on September 14, 2026. The 2001 classic can already be spotted under Netflix's "Coming Soon" section, along with the option for fans to set a reminder for when it drops. Based on the classic German fairy tale of the same name, Barbie in the Nutcracker has aged incredibly well over the last two and a half decades. This is thanks greatly to the film's timeless score comprising Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and its iconic voice cast featuring, of course, Kelly Sheridan, who would come to be known as the voice of Barbie for a decade hereafter, and, most surprisingly, Tim Curry as the film's antagonist, the Mouse King. Given the latter's recent passing, there's all the more reason to revisit Barbie in the Nutcracker right now, and it's finally easier than ever now that the movie's coming to Netflix. All that said, along with the original Barbie in the Nutcracker, Mattel has also announced a modern animated remake of the same story. This 45-minute animated special will be released on Netflix in November and will feature two versions of Barbie, namely, Barbie "Brooklyn" Roberts as well as Barbie "Malibu" Roberts, as the Sugar Plum Princess and Clara, respectively. The reimagining aims to introduce a whole new generation to this classic tale that launched the Barbie animated franchise and became a holiday classic for decades to come. Barbie in the Nutcracker Is Still As Timeless As The Rest of Barbie's Classic Films Animated by Mainframe Entertainment, which was best known for the revolutionary sci-fi show ReBoot at the time, Barbie in the Nutcracker was the first computer-animated Barbie movie, featuring motion capture as well as traditional keyframe animation. And while Barbie in the Nutcracker isn't the most revolutionary-looking animated movie these days, it did pave the way for the many excellent animated Barbie films that would come after it, each looking better than the last. These classic Barbie movies, which were mostly all retellings of classic fairy tales, are still just as popular and considered timeless classics all these years later. These movies have quite a few nostalgic fans wanting to revisit them today, and luckily Barbie's 25th anniversary is finally making them accessible. In addition to Barbie in the Nutcracker making its way to Netflix, many other classic Barbie movies such as Barbie Princess Charm School, Barbie and the Magic of the Pegasus, and Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses are now available for free on YouTube on Barbie's official YouTube channel. Barbie TV Show(s) Barbie: Dreamtopia, Barbie: It Takes Two, Barbie: Life in the City, Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures, Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse Video Game(s) Barbie (1984), Barbie: Explorer, Barbie: Game Girl Cast Margot Robbie, Kelly Sheridan, Jodi Benson, America Young Created by Ruth Handler