The battle for "Barbie 2": Ryan Gosling wants a huge salary - the studios object
Warner Bros. is racing to secure a deal for the Barbie sequel before brand rights revert to Mattel in December. Negotiations with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have stalled over contract terms, specifically the stars' demands for profit participation.
"Barbie" was one of the most talked-about and successful films of recent years, grossing over $1.4 billion, earning eight Oscar nominations, and becoming a global cultural phenomenon. While a sequel seemed like a natural progression, the project remains far from production due to disputes over contract terms for the stars and creative team.
According to The New York Times, Warner Bros. is in a race against time to finalize a deal before the brand rights return to Mattel in December. Reports indicate that Ryan Gosling, who played the iconic Ken, is requesting a $20 million salary plus profit participation, terms that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is reportedly hesitant to approve for both Robbie and Gosling.
"We have a rights agreement with Mattel, and we have submitted a series of large offers to try to close deals to create the next 'Barbie' movie," said Warner Bros. chairpersons Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca. "Unfortunately, so far we have not been able to reach an agreement."
Unlike many successful franchises, the studio did not sign the stars for sequels in advance. Robbie, Gosling, and the team were contracted for only one film as part of the studio's effort to secure Greta Gerwig as director after years of failed attempts to develop the brand.
Sources tell The New York Times that Gerwig and her husband, co-writer Noah Baumbach, have ideas for a new film but are withholding them until their creative team's deals are finalized. Should Warner Bros. fail to reach an agreement by the December deadline, Mattel will be forced to re-develop the brand with a new creative team, cast, and concept.
Over the past three years, the studio has submitted at least six offers. The latest, described as one of the largest the studio has ever made for a film, was rejected by talent representatives who have yet to provide a counter-offer. While this may appear to be aggressive negotiation, it is standard practice in Hollywood when sequel contracts are not signed in advance.
Even if agreements are reached by December, production remains distant. Robbie is filming the Ocean's 11 prequel for Warner Bros. (due June 2027); Gosling is set to star in Marvel's Ghost Rider (2028) and promote Disney's Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027); and Gerwig is scheduled to begin a promotional tour early next year for her Netflix film, Narnia.
