In late July came word that serious talks for a “Barbie” sequel were getting underway at Warner Bros. Pictures. Now, with the Paramount-Warners merger likely to be completed this coming week, those talks should make some progress.
The Greta Gerwig-directed film opened in 2023 and grossed $1.5 billion worldwide, along with earning rave reviews, an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and becoming a huge pop culture event.
Famously, Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling did not have deals in their contracts to return for a sequel. Thus, new and likely much more expensive deals have to be negotiated. Gerwig also indicated in 2024 she didn’t have any story ideas for a follow-up.
Then came word in July via The New York Times that Warner Bros. needs to have deals with the trio in place by December. Otherwise, rights to the property revert back to Mattel, who would essentially have to reboot it all over again.
Gerwig and writing partner/husband Noah Baumbach reportedly have a story they want to tell for the sequel and are ready to start writing it – but they aren’t sharing said idea with Warner Bros. and won’t touch pen to paper until the deal is done.
What has been holding up the deal? The report indicated Warner’s CEO David Zaslav wouldn’t sign off on it due to the costs involved. With the merger, Zaslav is now out and David Ellison is in charge.
Variety reports that “wheels are already turning to lock in” the sequel, helped along by Ellison hiring former Mattel CEO Ynon Kriez to be the co-CEO at the new combined company. Their source says: “There’s no way ‘Barbie 2’ doesn’t happen.”
Paramount film chiefs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, who will now oversee films across both Paramount and Warner Bros., have also reportedly already reached out to Margot Robbie and her LuckyChap partners even before the merger closes.
