Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are ready to begin writing Barbie 2, but they won’t start until Warner Bros. strikes a financial deal.
According to The New York Times, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Gerwig are all in talks to return, but work on the script will not begin until the deals are finalized.
The sequel’s story is being kept under wraps until all major contracts are signed. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has not approved the deals, calling them “too generous.”
The studio thinks their demands are too high because, on top of multimillion-dollar salaries, they are asking for a percentage of the gross profits. Gosling is reportedly asking for close to $20 million to return as Ken.
Mattel has already set a deadline. If no agreement is reached by December 2026, Mattel will reboot the Barbie franchise without Warner Bros. But if the project moves to another studio, Mattel cannot use the same cast or story elements from the 2023 film.
With almost $1.45 billion at the global box office, Barbie became the biggest film of the year and one of Warner Bros.’ biggest hits. The movie starred Margot Robbie alongside Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, and Will Ferrell. Even though Greta Gerwig said she didn’t plan a sequel, the film’s success made Barbie 2 a real possibility. Now, the sequel faces a new challenge.
Even if the deals are finalized soon, Barbie 2 is still expected to take several years before it reaches theaters.
Barbie is officially available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: The New York Times
