Barbie 2 Will Have to Start from Scratch if Warner Bros. Can't Make a Deal With Talent by December

Negotiations for the sequel to the 2023 box office hit Barbie have stalled, with Warner Bros. reportedly unable to secure a deal with key talent by December 2026. This development could result in the loss of director Greta Gerwig, writer Noah Baumbach, and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling from the sequel. According to a report from The New York Times, the holdup stems from a monthslong standoff between Warner Bros. and the original cast and crew.

The studio has offered a share of box office profits and raises, including paying Gosling his $20 million asking price, but studio CEO David Zaslav believes these offers are "too generous." A Warner Bros. spokesperson countered that the talent representatives declined an offer in May and have yet to submit a counteroffer. Should a deal be missed by December, the film's rights will revert back to the original rights holder, Mattel.

While another live-action Barbie movie could still emerge at another studio, it would lack the creative team behind the first film and would need to start from scratch with a new story. Gerwig and Baumbach have reportedly already devised a script for Barbie 2, but without a finalized deal, it remains uncertain when production will commence.