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Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach block Barbie sequel deal

8/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Warner Bros. co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca have not secured a Barbie sequel deal.
Director Greta Gerwig and writer Noah Baumbach refuse to share the story until contracts are signed.
Actor Ryan Gosling reportedly demands $20 million to return as Ken, while Margot Robbie also seeks a higher fee.
The Mattel rights expire in December 2026, after which the sequel could revert to Mattel for a full reboot.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Disney signed a deal with Pixar that gave Disney full story and sequel rights while Pixar earned roughly a 12.5% share and needed $75 million worldwide to break even. The profit-sharing model later fueled disputes over Toy Story 2 and 3. Today Warner Bros. and Mattel are adopting a similar approach for the Barbie sequel, aiming to lock rights before 2026.

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Story summary

Warner Bros. co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca have not secured a Barbie sequel deal.
Director Greta Gerwig and writer Noah Baumbach refuse to share the story until contracts are signed.
Actor Ryan Gosling reportedly demands $20 million to return as Ken, while Margot Robbie also seeks a higher fee.
The Mattel rights expire in December 2026, after which the sequel could revert to Mattel for a full reboot.

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