Despite the original Barbie becoming a $1.4 billion box office hit, a sequel has reportedly stalled over concerns about the soaring salaries of stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
As per The New York Time, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are said to be developing a sequel as they are in talks with Warner Bros but it has reportedly hit a roadblock over the stars' pay.
The source said, 'The studio chiefs have been negotiating with the talent for months. The offers have included a cut of profit for the principal talent if the film reaches a certain level of box office success…”
They added, “'At least some upfront raises, including paying Mr. Gosling $20million (his current asking price).”
The report revealed, “But David Zaslav, the Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive, deemed the offers, including when participation in profits would kick in, too generous and would not sign off, the people said.”
Reports claimed the actors declined the latest offers made in May and have yet to submit counteroffers.
A deal must reportedly be reached before the rights revert to Mattel in December.
Studio co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca said in a statement, “We have a rights deal with Mattel in place and have made a series of big offers to try and finalize deals to make the next Barbie film…”
The co-chairs added, “Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement thus far.”
According to the outlet, Greta Gerwig reportedly has a concept for a Barbie sequel but is keeping it under wraps until a deal is finalized.
Speaking in 2023, Gerwig said she prefers not to reveal ideas too early, explaining that discussing projects prematurely can undermine the creative process and affect the final film.
About 'Barbie' movie
The 2023 live-action Barbie movie is a record-breaking satirical comedy directed by Greta Gerwig that grossed over $1.44 billion worldwide to become the highest-earning film of 2023. Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
