Barbie Writers Play Coy About Ken Spinoff Movie

Barbie became nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, with the Warner Bros. Pictures film breaking records and inspiring countless viewers. Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken was easily a standout of the film, thanks to some zany lines of dialogue and the smash success of the “I’m Just Ken” original song. With that in mind, it wouldn’t seem illogical to imagine a sequel or spinoff surrounding Ken — but apparently, co-writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are not hinting at anything. In a recent interview on 60 Minutes, both writers played coy about the prospect of a Ken solo movie.

“We can’t comment on that,” Baumbach revealed, before Gerwig added, “I can’t comment on that. I mean the truth is … I guess we’ll see.”

Why Did Ryan Gosling Join Barbie?

Gosling has openly praised Gerwig and Robbie’s pitch for the Barbie movie, calling the script the best he has ever read. The actor has also teased the impact that he hoped the film would have.

“This has been coming my whole life,” Gosling told Variety back in 2022. “I think a lot of Kens will feel seen when they see this. Gotta do it for the Kens of the world. Nobody plays with Kens!”

Will There Be a Barbie Sequel?

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, there are currently no options or deals in place for Gerwig and stars Gosling and Margot Robbie to return for a Barbie sequel. Robbie, in particular, is reportedly not obligated to return to her role of Stereotypical Barbie, but could return as a producer on a Barbie sequel if she wanted to. Gerwig has indicated that she currently does not have any ideas for a sequel film.

“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” Gerwig revealed. “I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”

How Many Mattel Movies Are in the Works?

According to reporting from The New Yorker earlier this year, there are a total of 45 Mattel-related movies in the process of getting made, including (but not limited to) Barney, Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, and He-Man. Other projects that have been announced to be in development over the years include American Girl, Big Jim, Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master, and Wishbone.

“Barbie is one of the most iconic franchises in the world and we are excited to partner with Warner Bros. Pictures and Margot Robbie to bring her to life on the big screen,” Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, said in a statement when the film took shape. “We look forward to building on this collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures as we tell the stories of our beloved brands. Mattel Films is on a path to demonstrate the enormous potential of our brand portfolio, as we continue to execute on our strategy of transforming Mattel into an IP-driven, high performing toy company.”

Would you want to see a Ken spinoff movie after Barbie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!