When a film with a reported budget of $145 million looks to cross $1 billion and beyond at the worldwide box office, you'd think a sequel would be a sure thing.
However, it looks like Warner Bros. didn't take the Marvel approach and sign their stars up for multiple installments, as Barbie director Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling are not signed up for sequels.
While it is an obvious requirement for Robbie to return for any potential sequel, getting Gerwig and Gosling to come back is arguably, equally as important.
The ongoing Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFRA) strikes are reportedly preventing Warner Bros.' ability to negotiate with the lead creative talent for a potential Barbie sequel, and one has to think that with each passing day and new box office milestone, their asking price is only going to increase.
The Hollywood Reporter's sources claim that Warner Bros. attempted to secure a deal with Gerwig (who also co-wrote the film) to return before Barbie hit theaters, but her agents wisely halted those discussions until after the film's release date as they're waiting to see the final box office numbers before resuming talks.
As THR reports, whenever the strikes end, expect a big contract for all three...if they choose to return.
Barbie Official Synopsis: To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.
From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”) comes “Barbie,” starring Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (“Bombshell,” “I, Tonya”) and Ryan Gosling (“La La Land,” “Half Nelson”) as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera (“End of Watch,” the “How to Train Your Dragon” films), Kate McKinnon (“Bombshell,” “Yesterday”), Issa Rae (“The Photograph,” “Insecure”), Rhea Perlman (“I’ll See You in My Dreams,” “Matilda”), and Will Ferrell (the “Anchorman” films, “Talladega Nights”). The film also stars Michael Cera (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Juno”), Ariana Greenblatt (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “65”), Ana Cruz Kayne (“Little Women”), Emma Mackey (“Emily,” “Sex Education”), Hari Nef (“Assassination Nation,” “Transparent”), Alexandra Shipp (the “X-Men” films), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami,” “Peaky Blinders”), Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”), Scott Evans (“Grace and Frankie”), Jamie Demetriou (“Cruella”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education,” “Emma.”), Sharon Rooney (“Dumbo,” “Jerk”), Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton,” “Derry Girls”), Ritu Arya (“The Umbrella Academy”), Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”).
Gerwig directed “Barbie” from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story,” “The Squid and the Whale”), based on Barbie by Mattel. The film’s producers are Oscar nominee David Heyman (“Marriage Story,” “Gravity”), Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, with Gerwig, Baumbach, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.