Barbie and Ken

Barbie 2 - Ken Needs Barbie

Barbie and Ken's Adventure to Mars

LOGLINE: Compelled by politics, Ken launches himself into space toward the planet Mars and he needs Barbie to survive when things go wrong.

DOWNLOAD THE SCRIPT!!!

Barbie's helping out at a senior living facility that's short staffed.

Faced with the dilemma of testifying against Ken in court, Barbie conveniently disappears into the workforce.

Ken launches himself and his dachshunds into space.

It's a race to the planet Mars and Ken the rocket scientist takes a leap and puts himself out there.

Ken is stranded on Mars and can't get home without Barbie's help.

The villainous "other" space company make sure Ken's without ground support. And only Barbie is willing to help.

Oct 6th, 2023 - 5:38 AM - MY ORIGINAL NOTES

I had a dream about the Barbie Sequel... she's in a senior assisted care home, she's working in the kitchen frantically cooking and washing her hands, waiting tables and washing her hands and then bussing tables and then washing dishes... and ... a little girl is trying to persuade the elderly women there, who have no idea who Barbie is/was... the elderly women explain that the youngest residents in their 80s were born in the 1940s, before Barbie became popular. They were not raised with a Barbie. Clearly there has been some sort of emergency (a naturally calamity AND understaffing), even the facility manager is helping. Barbie, overhears the young girl and her great grandmother, Barbie seems relieved that no one knows who she is because she is being sought to testify against Ken... or give his whereabouts to the government.

HOW DID WE GET HERE? FLASH BACK FOR BARBIE: Ken has started a "New Space Company" they they are pitted against the "Old Space Company" The Old Space Company has bribed most of the politicians and especially the District Attorney in the jurisdiction of the New Space Company. The government has invested a trillion into the Old Space company. When it looks like Ken (Jordan Noone) might reach Mars first, without the help of the government with his sleek and efficient startup, the evil villain at the Old Space Company pressure the government to intervene. A litany of chaged... Ken is now facing four separate indictments and 91 charges... all so ridiculous everyone knows Ken isn't "that" smart. Insider trading... conspiracy to leave the atmosphere. Lack of licensing for his dogs is a crime. He's accusted of animal abuse because he's not registed or vaccinated. He's alleged to be running a puppy mill; three neutered and COVID vaccinated dogs.

In the middle of the night Ken climbs the launch tower with his dogs. He's in communication with his AI super computer (HAL), the computer helps him avoid his own security guards. When one security guard is blocking his assent, HAL radios the guard of an anomaly (a beached whale) on the beach side of the launch tower.

At the top of the tower... Ken's line is (philosophically to his dogs) "Once they know you have dogs, you are F____'d! Come on kids load up." Three dachshunds load into what looks like a space capsule.

Ken on the other hand is taking on an old and corrupt space launch company for "Government" space work... Ken's not been willign to bribe the politicians so he loses out on the govt contract to explore Mars. Ken in this movie is a free market libertarian and so its not long until the government comes after him. Ken's company, New Space Company, as they near a Mars launch, becomes more political... there are "trumped-up" cased against him. The politicians need a space scapegoat or lightening rod to blame for their failure; they used to believe Ken was an environmentalist on the left but the politicians now need to protect the Old Space Company and their image as an election looms. The Old Space Company controls the media and side with the government ... so the Old Space Company can land on the Mars first and the politicians can bask in the glory before the election, the corrupt politicians indict Ken and demonize Ken... he launches early... no one know but he's on the way to Mars, except an AI computer that runs the spacecraft.

If Ken stops his work... it will take years of court battles to clear things up. It's clearly an attempt to squash Ken's dream of reaching Mars. So Ken secretly launches himself and his three blonde dogs (English cream dachsunds) in secret... well, the New Space Company officially launches a "private sector satellite." No one but the AI computer (named HAL) knows where Ken is located. The government, FBI, CIA and Army and the Mexican cartels are all looking for Ken. Russian and Chinese agents are looking for Ken; they plan to offer him poltiical asylem. The only intity that knows where Ken is the New Space Company AI computer.

Not even Barbie knows where he is until he calls her... she's driving down Hwy 277. She's at the Starbuck's Drive thur (it's a very long line to get coffee) when Ken calls her from space. They talk... and she understands the extra ordinary life and death situation. Of course Barbie is 100% loyal and supportive. She's worried. She relays to Ken that the government is seeking a search warrant to seize the AI super computers. Ken's response (so not to worry babrie) is "Let's hope they don't. I really suck at Math."

The computers that run the Mars Explorer aren't on the ship... they are in the New Space Company's HQ. The signals are beamed in that direction.

AI computer (HAL): "If the government seizes me, I'll be shut down and transported to a government facility. Ken you will die in space."

Ken: "Not necessarily."

HAL: "But you suck at Math. I don't know how you graduated school."

FLASHBACK to SCHOOL: endless hours of Barbie tutoring Ken at Math. Ken's more dreamy about Barbie and the mathematics was slow. But Ken finally passes the math class.

Barbie's lawyer then calls her and explains about wives can't be forced to testify against the husband. Barbie won't be allowed to "not testify" against Ken because they aren't married, YET. A bit of drama about possible marriage. Lawyer: "Don't tell me where he is," and Barbie hints "There is a Texas law that allows astronauts to be married by proxy"; so that is the planned solution. So while the lawyer doesn't want to organize that because it might help the government... She will be legally forced rat on Ken's location and possibly testify against him. The lawyer's advise to Barbie is to disappear at least for a few days until Ken settles the dispute.

Barbie on a whim, pulls into a senior center (Royal Estates), Barbie drives a pink Cadillac so the concierge think she works for Mary Kay. Barbie walks right in to the multiple purpose room starts teaching the 80 and 100 year old women how to do their make up. Barbie is an instant hit. The ladies want her to go straighten out Washington or take the THREE open positions at the facility. The senior living center is under staffed and Barbie is hired immediately; little pay but it's going to rewarding and it will keep her out of the media and courtrooms.

The facility manager is shrewd and believes Barbie is hiding from an abusive man. There is an empty apartment that Barbie can stay in and the building manager advised her to park her PINK car in the back of the building.

Police cars come through the parking lot... routine, but Barbie is nervous. This is something like Some Like it Hot, where Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis are hiding from the mob after witnessing the St. Valentines Day Massacre.

While Ken is traveling to Mars.. she talks to him often... but she's also busy, fitting in and being useful.

Barbie is hiding from everyone and fortunately she's in a place where nearly everyone doesn't know her. The residents of Royal Estates (RE) might vaguely be aware of the doll but they don't put two and two together. Though-out the movie, Barbie teaches the ladies makeup, watercolor painting, ceramics, ballroom dancing. Barbie help in the garden. There is one old-timer male and Barbie persuades the women they need a dance partner. The old timer is exhausted. Barbie help out in the kitchen when the the cook abruptly slips and breaks her hip. There is a tornado watch and Barbie oraganizes the safety measures. The tornado destroys the electric lines and Barbie works as a mechanic to get the backup generator working. Barbie repairs some broken windows Barbie uses her phone to send photos of all the residents next of kin to they know the ladies are okay after the storm. AND she's always 100% attentive and emotionally supportive to Ken when he calls.

Barbie befriends a little girl who Is 8. The little girl is living with her great-grandmother. The young girl's mother and grandmother were killed in a car crash. The little girl is trying (at first mostly in vain) to convince the "greatest generation" that Barbie has something valuable to offer. It takes the entire movie for the older ladies to understand.

So with Ken in space and Barbie being searched for, she must stay hidden. She always is in danger... because of the little girl who keeps trying to tell everyone in the senior center who Barbie is.

Remember that the computers that run Ken's space craft are on the ground... Ken doesn't show up in court to face the bogus charges (he's in space)... so the government seizes the "New Space Company" and turns off the computers. in fact they haul them away just the way the AI machine had predicted. New Space Company engineers (Anglo, Black, Latino, Indian and Asian) are all arrested for obstruction; they don't resist, but just to be safe they are locked up.

NOW Ken is in a fix... he doesn't want to call EARTH for help... prideful male astronaut and he's worried what they will do to Barbie, obstruction of justice charges. So he Zooms or Skypes back to Barbie, like everyday. OR he could hack into the RE satellite dishes, the conversations are on the elderly resident's TVs but the resident's think it's a remake of Apollo 13 or a movie.

The FBI are going around to boarding kennels and shelters looking for Ken's dog.

The local, Wichita Falls, FBI comes around asking questions. Barbie hides in the kitchen. The resident's don't remember seeing Barbie, but half have Alzheimer's and the others have figured it out and pretend to have Alzheimer's. The smartest lady, the resident who was a triage nurse (RN) in WW2 and graduated from Princeton in 1941 points down to the bus station down the road. The FBI seems to buy the story that Barbie abandoned her car at RE, but they tow off Barbie's car as evidence. It's scheduled to be auctioned; WF police seized more than 1800 cars per year and sell them at auction, legalized theft. This problem has to rectify itself before Barbie's beautiful pink car is auctioned off.

With Ken stranded in space. Barbie is basically doing the math on her cell phone (or the eight-year-olds tablet), because no one in the senior living facility has a laptop. They where all born in the 1940s, some in the 1930s.

SOLUTION

Barbie is tuned in for the MARS landing... she's done the math and of course Ken is her boyfriend. But she's in a dilemma; a resident is dying and the hospice nurse is delayed at a different location. The dying woman's family won't be there until the next day... Barbie holds the hand of the woman, until she passes. When she returns to her phone, Ken has already landed. She missed it but the story shows Barbie's humanity and compassion.

In the end (in actuality) Ken lands on Mars and surprises the world by beaming back video (youtube) and posting to all the social media... public pressure makes the politicians go away... only then can Barbie come out of seclusion. The employs at the Old Space Company pack up their offices and take the photos and plants to their cars in the parking lots. The district attorney who is standing in front of a judge trying to seize ALL of Ken's property.

Ken is basking in the glory and Barbie's contribution isn't is When the story comes out... how Ken would have never made it without Barbie's help... the FBI shamfully brings back her car. There is a huge party in front of RE. There are 10,000 people gather in front of RE... there is a ticker-tape parade in Wichita Falls, without ticker-tape. Police and Fire Trucks are involved in a parade. The Mayor gives Barbie a medal.

The government rushed to return the AI super computer but "government" AI engineers are too dumb to set it up properly. The police must release the New Space engineers from jail... they've were arrested for obstruction.