Barbie 2 is facing a serious setback at Warner Bros., but a potential change in the studio’s leadership can give the sequel a new chance. The sequel has been stalled for the last three years, even after the massive success of the film, because of contract negotiations with Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Noah Baumbach.
As per reports, Warner Bros. needs to reach a deal by December 2026 to retain the rights of Barbie, while David Ellison could potentially change the future of the Barbie franchise if his bid for Warner Bros. succeeds.
Why David Ellison could change the future of Barbie 2 at Warner Bros.
According to Variety, the studio has made over six offers in the last three years for Barbie 2, but all the negotiations have been rejected. The negotiations included director Gerwig and screenwriter Baumbach, as well as Robbie and Gosling, who did not sign any multi-film deal or sequel commitment in their original contracts.
The biggest issue appears to be compensation. Barbie was a global box office blockbuster and made $1.447 billion worldwide. Hence, the creative team wants to improve their deals. Reportedly, Ryan Gosling has asked for a fee hike of $20 million to reprise his role as Ken, while Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig are also negotiating for higher pay.
The creative part of the sequel is not the problem, as reportedly Gerwig and Baumbach have an idea for the next part, but they will continue once the deal is finalized. Warner Bros. also has a risk of losing Barbie’s rights to Mattel if they fail to make a deal with principal talent by December.
However, David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance CEO, can become an unexpected factor that saves Barbie 2. Reportedly, Ellison has offered to acquire Warner Bros., and if his bid succeeds, he will take over control. He could potentially reactivate the Mattel rights and bring the original team back.
This article was originally reported by Isha Sharma on ComingSoon.
