Negotiations for 'Barbie 2' Continue as Studio Races Against Time
Rights for the film adaptation will soon revert to Mattel.
Warner Bros. plans to produce a sequel to 'Barbie', but negotiations with Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling have not been successful, according to The New York Times. The studio has a limited time for negotiations.
According to the publication, Warner Bros. must reach agreements with key team members by December 2026. If not, the rights to the adaptation will return to Mattel — if the film is not in production, someone else could take on 'Barbie 2'.
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However, the new company will not obtain rights to the plot of the first film and will need to renegotiate with the cast.
The main point of contention has been the fees. Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling reportedly requested increased payments before filming began, as well as a share of profits upon reaching certain box office milestones. Gosling, in particular, could receive an advance of $20 million.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav deemed these terms too generous and refused to approve them. Negotiations have reportedly been ongoing for several months.
The first 'Barbie' was released in summer 2023 and grossed $1.448 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing release in Warner Bros. history.
