- Primary Subject: Barbie Movie Sequel (Barbie 2) Development Status
- Key Update: Barbie 2 development is currently stalled.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 3, 2026
- Quick Answer: Barbie 2 is in limbo as Warner Bros. and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling stall over rich salary negotiations before a December rights deadline.
The long-awaited sequel to Barbie is facing a setback as the development of the project is currently stalled.
Following the film’s massive critical and box office success in 2023, fans have been wondering whether Warner Bros. will be developing a sequel that would explore the next chapter of the famed doll. So far, nothing official has been set yet.
However, as it turns out, there have been attempts to do a sequel, but it is in a limbo state at the moment.
Is the Barbie Sequel Still Happening?
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According to The New York Times, the development of the sequel to Barbie has stalled due to the issues over the salary demands of stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
The report stated that Robbie and Gosling are asking for rich deals with profit participation for the second film, but Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has balked at the idea.
Director/writer Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach already have an idea for the sequel. However, they won’t be sharing their idea with the studio until the deals have been settled.
Warner Bros. intends to finish the deal before December 2026, since the rights for a sequel will revert to Mattel if they don't settle the issues with the film's creative team by that time. Mattel would have to redevelop the IP with a new creative team.
Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca, Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairmen, addressed the recent status of the sequel in a statement: “We have a rights deal with Mattel in place and have made a series of big offers to try and finalize deals to make the next ‘Barbie’ film. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement thus far.”
A new deal for the sequel has to be negotiated since the cast and creative team only signed on for one movie when Barbie was made.
For now, stay tuned for news and updates in the coming months on whether the sequel will indeed happen, but fans are hoping that they will be able to visit Barbie Land again as soon as possible.
What Is Barbie About?
Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie is a sharp, satirical fantasy comedy that follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) on a journey of self-discovery after an existential crisis pushes them out of Barbieland and into the real world.
Beyond its story, the film became a cultural juggernaut, partly due to its simultaneous release with Oppenheimer, which sparked the viral "Barbenheimer" double-feature phenomenon.
The movie was a massive commercial and critical triumph, earning $1.448 billion to become the highest-grossing film of 2023 and Warner Bros.' top-earning release of all time. It also secured eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and took home Best Original Song for Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?".
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