A Barbie Sequel Movie Just Got Very Complicated

Barbie has become a bonafide hit, with the live-action film on the verge of grossing $1 billion at the global box office. With that impressive theatrical performance in mind, many have begun to wonder if a sequel is in the cards — and apparently, that is absolutely not a done deal yet. On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter broke down the various elements at play regarding another Barbie movie, especially amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes hitting Hollywood. According to their reporting, there are currently no options or deals in place for star-producer Margot Robbie, star Ryan Gosling, and director and co-writer Greta Gerwig to return for a Barbie sequel. Robbie, in particular, is not obligated to return to her role of Stereotypical Barbie, but could return as a producer on a Barbie sequel if she wanted to.

As the report outlines, Warner Bros. Pictures “made overtures” about Gerwig possibly returning to direct a Barbie sequel, but her team delayed those talks until the first film’s debut. With negotiations around new projects on hold until the strikes are over, there’s a chance that Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling could return for a new Barbie movie — but they would probably have to negotiate much more lucrative contracts, in response to the film’s box office performance.

Will There Be a Barbie Sequel?

While Mattel has expressed a desire to return to the cinematic world of Barbie, director and co-writer Greta 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 a new report from The New Yorker, 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.”