Summary

  • Margot Robbie expresses doubts about a potential Barbie 2, stating that they didn't plan the first movie to be a trilogy.
  • Robbie acknowledges that they put everything into the first movie, with co-writer/director Greta Gerwig giving it her all.
  • The actor is unsure about what could happen in a sequel, implying that they haven't considered or planned for one.

As the first movie awaits its chances in awards season, Margot Robbie has a disappointing update on a potential Barbie 2. Based on the Mattel doll of the same name, the comedy proved to be the surprise smash hit of 2023, setting multiple box office records, including the highest-grossing movie of the year thus far, as well as Warner Bros.' highest-grossing movie ever and the highest-grossing from a solo female director. Since its success, including beating out Oppenheimer in the viral Barbenheimer box office battle, talks have swirled about a potential sequel.

During a recent interview with AP Entertainment, Robbie was asked about her thoughts on a Barbie 2.

As seen above, the actor expresses her doubts about a sequel being produced to the blockbuster comedy, acknowledging that she and co-writer/director Greta Gerwig "didn't build it to be a trilogy" and that she's unsure what could happen in a sequel. Check out Robbie's quote below:

I think we put everything into this one. We didn't build it to be a trilogy or something. It was like Greta put everything into this movie, so I can't imagine what would be next.

Barbie 2 Seems All The More Unlikely (And That's Okay)

Barbie smiling at the toy's founder in Barbieland

Robbie's latest comments line up with that of her Barbie 2 comments prior to the original movie's release, being hesitant to move forward with another movie as setting up a sequel would lead the creative team to "fall into a bit of a trap" in setting up multiple follow-ups. Gerwig herself has been reluctant to make a follow-up, feeling that she was "at totally zero" after putting all of her ideas into the first Barbie, but acknowledging that she also "wouldn't want to squash anybody else's dream."

Mattel has been far more optimistic about the chances of a sequel, with CEO Ynon Kreiz confirming in a company earnings call in July 2023 that while it's "a bit early" to determine, they are looking to branch out on its success. The company has a reported 45 movies in development based on their toys, including the Daniel Kaluuya-produced Barney movie, the J.J. Abrams-produced Hot Wheels movie and Vin Diesel-produced Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots movie. Rumors have swirled of the various projects being set in a shared universe with Barbie, though their varying genres and approaches make this seem unlikely.

Of the 45 Mattel movies said to be in the works, only 13 have been publicly announced.

Given Robbie and Gerwig are still hesitant to make Barbie 2 half a year after the first movie became a smash hit, it seems like a proper sequel won't truly get off the ground. This doesn't mean, however, that some kind of follow-up won't be produced by WB and Mattel, with Barbieland left in a unique state at the end of the movie and Ken left to try and find his own purpose in life, both of which could make for entertaining spinoffs. However, with the studios likely to be keen to push forward with the sequel, one can hope that they don't elect to do so without Gerwig and Robbie's involvement.

Source: AP Entertainment/Twitter