The sequel to the hit film "Barbie" may not happen: Warner Bros. studio cannot agree with the creators of the first part on financial terms. If a contract is not signed within four months, the rights to the franchise will revert to Mattel, according to infohub.kz.
According to Variety, production of the sequel has stalled due to disagreements between Warner Bros. Discovery executives and the project's creative team. Director Greta Gerwig, lead actress Margot Robbie, actor Ryan Gosling, and screenwriter Noah Baumbach have rejected more than six studio offers, deeming the proposed financial terms insufficient.
A Variety source claims that studio head David Zaslav refused to meet the team's demands for higher upfront payments and a share of box office revenue. Meanwhile, Gerwig and Baumbach already have a ready idea for the sequel, but they are not revealing details until contracts are officially signed.
The situation is complicated by tight time constraints: the studio has only four months to start work on the film. Otherwise, the film rights will revert to Mattel, and the company will not be able to use Gerwig's work, leading to a complete reboot of the franchise. The first comedy, released in 2023, grossed $1.44 billion worldwide.