After making more than $1.4 billion at the box office, a second Barbie movie seemed like an obvious next step. Three years later, though, getting the original team back together is proving much more complicated.
Negotiations with Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have stalled over new contracts (via Variety). None were locked into a sequel after the first film, leaving Warner Bros. to negotiate fresh deals following its huge success.
That success has understandably changed what everyone is asking for. Warner Bros. has reportedly made at least seven offers over the past three years, with talks focusing on higher upfront salaries and a bigger share of the sequel’s earnings. Gosling is said to be seeking around $20 million to return as Ken.
There is also some pressure to get things moving. Warner Bros.’ current rights deal with Mattel is due to expire in December 2026, and the rights could return to the toy company if a new agreement is not reached. Mattel would then be able to take Barbie elsewhere, but any new film would reportedly need to start again with a different creative team and cast.
Gerwig and Baumbach are apparently not short of ideas, as the pair already have a concept for another film. They have yet to move forward with it, however, as the contracts remain unresolved.
Warner Bros. has not officially announced Barbie 2, and there is still no release date. Studio bosses Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca have acknowledged that several major offers have been made, but said an agreement has yet to be reached.
After the first film became such a huge hit, you would think a sequel would be the easy part. But getting Barbie, Ken and the same creative team back together may prove considerably harder than expected.