'Barbie' sequel back on track?
What's the story
The much-anticipated sequel to the blockbuster film Barbie is finally in the works, reported Variety. The news comes as the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger closes Tuesday, October 6, 2026. New executives Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein have reportedly been reaching out to Margot Robbie and her LuckyChap partners for the project. A source told Variety, "There's no way Barbie 2 doesn't happen."
Financial hurdles
Earlier reports suggested discussions had stalled due to financial constraints
Earlier, Variety reported that discussions for a sequel to Barbie had stalled due to financial constraints.
Warner Bros. made several offers over three years which reportedly went nowhere.
The studio has a December deadline to sign director Greta Gerwig and Robbie before the movie rights revert to Mattel.
David Zaslav was reportedly the reason behind this delay, but he is no longer in charge after the merger.
Leadership changes
Leadership change at Skydance could expedite 'Barbie 2'
The leadership change at Skydance (the combined company) could also expedite the production of Barbie 2.
David Ellison, the new CEO, has appointed former Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz as Co-CEO.
Kreiz was in charge at Mattel when Barbie was developed and released.
His involvement in turning the toy company into a movie studio could make greenlighting the sequel an easy decision for Skydance.
Box office triumph
Everything to know about the original 'Barbie' film
The original Barbie film, released in 2023, was a massive success.
It had a production budget of $128 million and earned $1.44 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie of the year and Warner Bros.'s biggest hit ever.
The project was directed by Gerwig and co-starred Ryan Gosling.