Barbie director Greta Gerwig has come around to potentially creating a sequel to her hit Oscar-nominated film. She spoke on her updated feelings during a conversation with Deadline, going as far as to say, “I’m not dismissing it, I want to do it.”
While some fans have made it clear Gerwig’s world doesn’t need a Barbie 2, many others will surely be excited to hear that a sequel is on her mind. However, this is far from confirmation that a follow-up is on the way. The acclaimed director adds that there’s “no resistance” from her when it comes to Barbie 2, but conversations with other parties, like toy-maker Mattel, star Margot Robbie, producer David Heyman, and Warner Bros. Discovery still need to happen before a film could even begin to take shape.
There’s also the matter of Gerwig’s other obligations, including writing and directing not one but two The Chronicles of Narnia films for Netflix. She tells Deadline she’ll soon return to London to resume the early stages of pre-production to begin her take on that universe. There is a lot to be done when it comes to getting those movies off the ground, with filming not expected to take off until late 2024 or early 2025. That means we’ve likely got years of waiting to do before Gerwig slips on pink for Barbie again.
Still, today’s update offers hope for a follow-up where there was previously little to be found. In fact, in November, Robbie said she “can’t imagine” what a sequel would even look like because the Barbie team created the first film without a sequel in mind.
“I think we put everything into this one. We didn’t build it to be a trilogy or something,” Robbie said at the time. “Greta put everything into this movie, so I can’t imagine what would be next.”
The update also signals a change of heart for Gerwig, who said last July that she was “totally at zero” regarding the potential for Barbie 2. As a new film’s chances increase, things are continuing to look good for Barbie fans.
When it comes to a sequel for Barbie, one of the highest-grossing films of 2023, the sky is the limit. The film impressed the masses with its wit, poignant messaging, performances, sights, and sounds and even went on to land eight Oscar nominations. Although it only managed to walk away with one win for Original Song, the movie still stands with an impressive box office run, as it managed to glide past $1 billion and land with $1,445,638,421, according to Box Office Mojo.
We loved Barbie, too, giving it a 9/10 in our review. At the time, we called the toy-to-movie picture “A masterful exploration of femininity and the pressures of perfection.” For more on Barbie while we wait for updates, be sure to check out Ryan Gosling’s Oscar performance, where he sang a stunning version of I’m Just Ken.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
