Barbie Director Shoots Down Reports of Sequel Development (And We’re Not Happy About It)

A Barbie sequel was reportedly in the works with director Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach set to return, however, the filmmaker has since shot down the rumor. The 2023 mega-hit starring Margot Robbie centered on different versions of the iconic Mattel toys as they grappled with vast changes to their home of Barbie Land after Robbie’s “Stereotypical Barbie” and Ryan Gosling’s Ken traveled to the real world for the first time. On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Barbie 2 is in the early stages of development. Per the outlet’s source, Gerwig and Baumbach have dreamed up a story for the sequel, which has been brought to Warner Bros. While a deal is yet to be reached, the filmmakers’ idea for Barbie 2 has allowed for more talks to take place.

Contradicting this report, a representative for Warner Bros. informed THR that its reporting is “inaccurate,” while Gerwig and Baumbach’s rep stated that “there is no legitimacy to this reporting.” Still, the publication’s source maintains that Gerwig and Baumbach would once again co-write the script should they seal a deal for Barbie 2. Baumbach is currently working on post-production of his untitled Netflix movie starring Gerwig, Adam Sandler, George Clooney, and more. On Gerwig’s end, the Oscar nominee is preparing to film her upcoming Chronicles of Narnia adaptation.

In addition to Robbie and Gosling, Barbie‘s star-studded cast included the likes of America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Issa Rae, John Cena, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ariana Greenblatt, Michael Cera, Ncuti Gatwa, Alexandra Shipp, Dua Lipa, and Helen Mirren. Barbie shook the box office in the weeks following its release, generating over $1 billion worldwide. The film’s success also extended to awards season, as Barbie scored eight Oscar nominations and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the Billie Eilish track “What Was I Made for?”

Although the news is disappointing, it doesn’t mean that a Barbie sequel won’t eventually materialize. A potential storyline for Barbie 2 has been kept under wraps, though It’s hard to imagine that Robbie and Gosling wouldn’t reprise their roles. The sequel would also likely include more than a few characters from the first film while also introducing new Barbies and Kens to the Mattel cinematic universe.

Given that Ferrera’s Gloria and Greenblatt’s Sasha were humans from the real world, it’s uncertain whether they would have a place in Barbie 2‘s story, however, Ferrera’s Oscar-nominated performance presents a compelling argument for her character to reappear in a potential follow-up movie.

Even though Barbie 2 remains a long way from becoming a reality, fans should still be excited to see what Gerwig and Baumbach have in store for the next chapter of Barbie.