Barbie film: How well do you really know the plastic fantastic doll?

Margot Robbie appears as Barbie in the 2023 film released this month

Paint the town pink!

Barbie, the film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is on track to become the biggest film released so far this year, according to UK box office figures.

Fans young and old have been heading to cinemas dressed in their finest Barbie-inspired outfits to honour the doll.

So, has Barbie-mania got you hooked? Read on for some surprising facts about the famous doll and test your Barbie knowledge.

When was the first Barbie made?

Barbie was created back in 1959 - with more than 350,000 sold during the first year.

The first doll was bought at a New York toy fair for $3.00 - the equivalent of about $25 today (£20).

These days Barbie is so popular that more than 100 dolls are sold every minute.

But her life hasn't been all plain sailing, having had to deal with heartbreak, lawsuits and complaints about her "unrealistic" body shape in the past few years.

This year Barbie is 64 years old - looking good, girl.

Who is Barbie named after?

Ruth Handler, Mattel co-founder and inventor of Barbie, celebrating the doll's 40th birthday

Ruth Handler named the doll after her daughter Barbara, but the original Barbie doll wasn't modelled on the real-life Barbie when it came to looks. Instead Ruth drew inspiration from Bild Lilli, a German doll created in 1952.

The first Barbie had quite a different look to the dolls on sale today, which are made by big toy company Mattel.

Barbie has often been criticised for promoting only one kind of unrealistic body image, so in 2016 Barbie had a major overhaul with seven new skin tones, 22 eye colours, 24 hairstyles and three new body types "tall, curvy and petite".

Since then lots more new Barbies have been released, including a range of dolls with disabilities.

Who was the first 'black Barbie'?

Technically she wasn't marketed as Barbie - rather as Barbie's friend Christie - but she still marks a major milestone as the first non-white version of the doll produced by Mattel.

She was a fast hit, and since then, Mattel has steadily expanded its offerings of Black Barbies.

They are no longer simply Barbie's friend, and the company now offer Barbies in many different races and skin tones as well as those with clothing and features that reflect different cultures.

Space expert Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is among those who have even had a special Barbie created to look like them.

Does Barbie have any brothers or sisters?

Barbie's big family could rival the Kardashians if they had their own reality show. Sister Skipper was introduced in 1964, twins Todd and Tutti were sold from 1965 to 1971, and Stacie hit the shelves in 1990.

Kelly was sold from 1994 to 2010, before she was replaced by Chelsea in 2011.

Barbie's youngest sister Krissy is the most recent addition to the family, although none of the kids ever seem to come with a parent, leaving Barbie to take on babysitting duties.

Barbie and Ken - are they still together?

Barbie was only two years old, when she got her first boyfriend, Ken (named after creator Ruth Handler's son Kenneth).

But on Valentine's Day in 2004, Mattel confirmed the toy world's favourite plastic couple had parted ways, with their PR reps saying both Ken and Barbie needed to spend "some quality time apart".

Barbie used the opportunity to show the world she was a strong, independent woman, extending the Barbie brand to clothes, perfume and other merchandise.

Mattel also restyled Ken in 2006, calling him "a changed man" who "exudes a new sense of his own personal style".

Although Barbie dated Australian surfer Blaine during their time apart, her love for Ken was still strong and the two reunited on Valentines Day 2011, after Ken launched a successful media campaign to win her back.

Shortly afterwards, Mattel released a new set of Ken and Barbie dolls for sale, decked out for a wedding.

Barbie Girl song: Mattel and MCA Records go to court

Danish pop act Aqua stormed the charts in 1997 with the song Barbie Girl, in which a female singer portraying Barbie refers to herself as a "blonde bimbo".

Barbie's maker Mattel wasn't impressed and launched a lawsuit against MCA Records, arguing the song infringed copyright and damaged Barbie's image.

But a US judge ruled Barbie must accept that being parodied was part of the job, saying: "With Barbie, Mattel created not just a toy but a cultural icon. With fame often comes unwanted attention."

The court also upheld a decision to throw out a defamation suit brought against Mattel by MCA, over comments allegedly made about the record company.

Are there other Barbie films?

Barbie has so far released 36 films under her own name, from titles like Barbie and the Nutcracker back in 2001, to her most recent release Barbie Dolphin Magic.

And that's not all. She's also appeared in Disney's hit film series Toy Story, starring as a tour guide in Toy Story 2, and having a lead role alongside Ken in Toy Story 3.

She's also got her own YouTube channel with more than five million subscribers and most recently a a major feature film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the title roles.

How many outfits does Barbie have?

It's thought a staggering one billion outfits have been made for Barbie and her friends since her 1959 debut.

With a wardrobe that large, there can be no denying Barbie is a true fashion icon.

Famous fashion designers including Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Versace, Moschino, Christian Dior and Givenchy have designed special outfits for her, and there's even been a Barbie-inspired show at Milan Fashion Week.

Which is the most expensive Barbie ever?

You certainly wouldn't be leaving these Barbies lying on the floor where your little brother or sister could draw all over them with felt-tip pens.

If you got hold of either of these Barbies, you want to keep them safely locked away due to their eye-watering price tags.

Pink Diamond Barbie sells for $15,000 (£11,300), created by celebrity fashion designers Phillipe and David Blonde, but she still can't compete with this special edition Barbie in the photo above, created by Australian jewellery designer Stefano Canturi.

That doll sold for a whopping $302,500 (£229,000) to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation back in 2010.