The future of a Barbie sequel remains uncertain, with Warner Bros. reportedly racing against time to prevent the project from slipping away.
According to a New York Times report, the studio has until December 2026 to finalize agreements with Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Greta Gerwig. If a deal is not reached by then, the rights to produce another Barbie film will return to Mattel.
The report states that Warner Bros. has made more than six offers during the lengthy negotiations, but the latest proposal was rejected by the representatives of the talent involved, who did not submit a counteroffer.
One of the biggest disagreements reportedly centers around a proposed profit-sharing deal connected to box office milestones. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav allegedly declined to approve the arrangement because he considered the terms too favorable. However, a studio spokesperson disputed that characterization, stating that the talent representatives rejected an offer made in May and have not provided a counterproposal.
Warner Bros. co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca addressed the situation in a joint statement, saying, “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.”
Reports also indicate that Greta Gerwig and writing partner Noah Baumbach have already developed an idea for the sequel but are waiting to share it with the studio until their contracts are finalized. This comes after Gerwig said in 2024 that she did not yet have a story idea for another Barbie movie.
The original Barbie film became a global phenomenon, earning $1.5 billion worldwide and receiving eight Oscar nominations. It won Best Original Song for Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s hit track “What Was I Made For?”
