CHRISTIAN TOTO: Woke Barbie Bait and Switch in the Works?

It’s not hard to read between the lines. Director/co-screenwriter Greta Gerwig often uses her work to explore gender issues, from “Lady Bird” to “Little Women.” The early previews suggest she did it again.

None of this shares if the movie is good, bad or indifferent. We’ll have to wait until July 21 to find out.

Yet the message discipline for “Barbie’s” marketing team has been nothing short of outstanding. Most potential movie goers won’t read the quotes from Ferrell, Gerwig or Nef. They’ll be too busy sharing the cute clips and frothy trailers on social media.

If “Barbie” is the first woke blockbuster, it’ll be partly thanks to a bait-and-switch press push.

A boffo opening weekend does not a blockbuster make. That takes a lot of positive word of mouth and repeat ticket buyers, and neither of those will show up if the film is a woke disaster. Barbie is also benefiting from the novelty of theater attendees who want to see it the same day as Christopher Nolen’s tough and grim Oppenheimer: What is Barbenheimer? Inside the Double Feature Mania.