Three years after Barbie became a global box office phenomenon, its planned sequel has hit a major roadblock, with Warner Bros. and the original film’s creative team still unable to agree on new deals.
Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Noah Baumbach are all seeking new contracts for a follow-up, but negotiations have stalled. As reported by Variety, Warner Bros. has reportedly made more than six offers over the past three years, with the latest described by a studio source as “life-changing money.”
The dispute has become increasingly urgent because Warner Bros. Pictures has until December to secure the filmmaking team and move the sequel into development. If the studio fails to reach an agreement, Mattel‘s Barbie rights could leave Warner Bros., forcing the toy company to start again with a full reboot.
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Gerwig directed and co-wrote the original film, while Baumbach co-wrote the screenplay. Robbie starred as Barbie and produced the film, with Gosling playing Ken. The Times revealed that the quartet did not have contractual obligations to make a sequel when they negotiated their original deals. Sources say the latest proposals include higher upfront fees and improved back-end participation, though not first-dollar gross. The team is reportedly satisfied with the proposed salaries but wants better terms for its share of the film’s eventual success. Baumbach is only seeking a fee hike.
Negotiations have reportedly centred on Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav, who has taken a harsher approach to the escalating costs of the sequel. Some industry figures have criticised the decision to hold firm over compensation, given the commercial success of the first film.
Despite the impasse, Gerwig and Baumbach already have an idea for a sequel, according to sources. However, they have declined to reveal details until the relevant agreements are signed. There could be a new path forward if David Ellison‘s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. succeeds. One source suggested that Ellison could revive the Mattel rights arrangement and bring Gerwig, Robbie, Gosling, and Baumbach back into the project.
For now, though, Barbie 2 remains stuck in negotiations. The original film turned the plastic doll of many a childhood into one of Hollywood’s biggest cinematic successes – but getting its stars and filmmakers back together could prove the sequel’s biggest challenge.
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