None of the ‘Barbie’ cast are contracted for a sequel
Even before it arrived in cinemas on July 21st, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was deemed a landmark sensation. With Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie among the star-studded cast and a groundbreaking promotional campaign to boot, critics and punters were filled with anticipation that was wholly satiated.
Towering over Christopher Nolan’s impressive war epic Oppenheimer, released on the same day, Barbie is already closing in on $1 billion at the worldwide box office after surpassing $900 million last week.
As moviegoers have grown accustomed to over the years, Hollywood likes a sequel, prequel, spin-off series or practically anything else that will fill in the cracks and generate ongoing revenue. However, Barbie appears poised to break the trend.
Unlike Oppenheimer, Barbie seems a rather likely candidate for franchise development, but since it was released in the unprecedented atmosphere of actors’ and writers’ strikes, the prospect of returning screenwriters and stars has been cast beneath a shade of doubt.
Further to this, it has been revealed that the movie’s leading stars, Robbie and Gosling, are under no obligation to return in the case of a sequel. In fact, albeit rare for a movie of such influence, there are currently no deals to facilitate a sequel.
Gosling, who played the role of Ken in the new blockbuster, is known to follow a rather strict “one and done” rule when it comes to his movie career. Although a handsome sum could tempt such an actor into a sequel, Gosling is more likely to seek a brand new project to add to his oeuvre.
Gerwig is yet to discuss the prospect of a Barbie follow-up, but for now, she seems more than happy to focus on her current success.
“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” she recently told the New York Times while discussing Barbie. “I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream, but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”
Watch the trailer for Barbie below.
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