Warner Bros. is in extended negotiations with the principal talent behind the 2023 Barbie film to develop a sequel, though discussions have stalled over financial terms. The studio has until December to finalize agreements with actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as well as director and co-writer Greta Gerwig before the rights revert to Mattel, according to reports.
The talks have centered on profit-sharing arrangements that would compensate the talent based on box office performance thresholds. According to reports, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav declined to approve the initial proposal, citing concerns that the terms were excessively favorable to the participants. A studio spokesperson countered that talent representatives rejected an offer made in May and have not provided a counteroffer proposal.
In a joint statement, Warner Bros. studio co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca acknowledged the impasse, noting that the company has presented multiple offers to the parties involved. “Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement thus far,” they stated, while confirming that a rights arrangement with Mattel remains active.
Gerwig and collaborator Noah Baumbach have been developing story concepts for a sequel over the past couple of years. The original Barbie achieved significant commercial and critical success, earning $1.5 billion globally and generating eight Oscar nominations, with one win for original song. The film’s 2023 release sparked widespread cultural attention and became part of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon.
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