Barbie 2 Could Be Shelved? Ryan Gosling’s $20M Demand And Margot Robbie’s Pay Battle Explained

Barbie 2 may not be as close to happening as fans hoped. The planned sequel is facing a major roadblock as Warner Bros. and the film’s creative team remain stuck in talks over compensation.

The situation has reportedly become serious enough to put Barbie 2 at risk of being shelved. Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are all attached to the potential sequel, but a deal still needs to be reached before the movie can move forward.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. has made more than six offers to the filmmaking team over the past three years. However, every offer has reportedly been rejected.

The studio's latest offer came late this spring. A studio source described it as the biggest offer Warner Bros. has ever made to a filmmaking team and its stars. Another source even called it "life-changing money".

But a separate deal source disputed that description. According to the source, the overall package may be historic, but that doesn't mean every individual deal is.

The creative team is reportedly seeking bigger upfront fees and a larger share of the film's backend profits. Ryan Gosling, meanwhile, has asked for $20 million to return as Ken.

Margot Robbie is expected to return as both a star and producer if the sequel moves ahead. Greta Gerwig is also attached to direct, while Noah Baumbach is set to return as co-writer.

The negotiations are unusual because the original Barbie contracts reportedly didn't require the team to make a sequel. That gives the filmmakers and stars more room to negotiate their terms before signing on again.

Gerwig and Baumbach reportedly already have an idea for Barbie 2. However, they aren't expected to share details until the deals are finalized.

Warner Bros. also doesn't have unlimited time to sort out the situation. The studio reportedly has only four months to put the sequel into production before its rights to the Barbie property become an issue.

Under the studio's original agreement with Mattel, Warner Bros. needs to put another Barbie movie into active development by the end of 2026. If it fails to do so, the rights will reportedly return to Mattel.

That could force a complete reboot rather than a continuation of Gerwig's version.

Mattel also has a reason to want another Barbie movie. The first film gave Barbie doll sales a huge boost after its release.

However, those sales have since dropped. A successful sequel could give the brand another major push, making the future of Barbie 2 important for both Warner Bros. and Mattel.

For now, fans will have to wait. The sequel isn't officially dead, but the stalled negotiations have put its future in doubt.