Los Angeles, Feb 12 (IANS): 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' star Simu Liu has been cast in 'Barbie', an upcoming Warner Bros movie based on the popular doll.

As previously announced, Margot Robbie is playing Barbie and Ryan Gosling is playing her boy toy Ken. It is not clear who Liu or America Ferrera, who also recently joined the ensemble, will portray in the live-action film, reports variety.com.

Greta Gerwig is directing the movie from a script she wrote with her long-time partner Noah Baumbach. Plot details have been kept under wraps.

'Barbie', which has been in the works since 2019, is expected to start production in early 2022 at the Warner Bros. Leavesden studio in London. It's slated to hit theaters sometime in 2023.

Gerwig and Baumbach have collaborated on several films, including "Frances Ha" and 'Mistress America'. Gerwig stepped behind the camera solo for 2017's coming-of-age story 'Lady Bird' and 2019's high-profile 'Little Women' remake, both of which landed best picture nominations at the Oscars.

In addition to starring as Barbie, Robbie will produce the film through her production company LuckyChap. LuckyChap executive Tom Ackerley, Mattel Films executive Robbie Brenner and filmmaker David Heyman will also serve as producers.

Before he became one of Marvel's newest superheroes, Liu was best known for playing Jung Kim on the Canadian sitcom 'Kim's Convenience'. The show, which ran for five seasons, gained a bigger following in the US when it later landed on Netflix.