While largely overlooked at the Oscars, “Barbie” was still the highest-grossing film of 2023 and credited for getting a horde of moviegoers back into theaters, leading to the phenomenon of #Barbenheimer. This obviously also helped to amplify the Christopher Nolan atomic bomb biopic “Oppenheimer” and make it a huge box office hit in its own right. Audiences have long assumed a sequel was in the works, but director/co-writer Greta Gerwig (and star Margot Robbie) had previously downplayed the desire or need to revisit Barbieland. However, that attitude on a follow-up film might be changing, though.
Deadline caught up with the filmmaker at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, where Gerwig said that while she was initially not “feeling” the idea of making a sequel, she had warmed up to it. “I’m not dismissing it; I want to do it,” the director told the outlet on Sunday night.
However, before a sequel could happen, many boxes must be ticked off first since the producing, creative, and studio team would need to iron out that second film with Mattel. “If” the stars align and we end up getting “Barbie 2,” it will take a couple of years to get put together.
Folks should be aware that Gerwig is a little busy at the moment as she’s in early pre-production on a new “Chronicles of Narina” feature incarnation for Netflix based on the classic fantasy novels by author C.S. Lewis. The director recently said it could shoot by the end of next year or early next year, and it’s expected to be a two-picture deal which could amount to four-plus years if that plan goes through.
Margot Robbie also has other projects on the docket, including reuniting with Ryan Gosling and director Jay Roach on an “Ocean’s 11” prequel. She had also been trying to get a new “Tank Girl” movie off the ground at her production company LuckyChap with Miles Joris-Peyrafitte attached to direct before COVID-19 shut down most of Hollywood.
The original installment saw Barbie entering the real world and had a satisfying ending. But there could be a narrative of her finding her way among humans and perhaps becoming a success on her terms without Mattel/Barbieland hindering things. We’ll have to wait and see if a good idea even materializes, but patience will be required if we’re expecting the already-occupied Gerwig herself to direct it.
