Barbie 2 has a 2026 deadline it needs to hit

Aug 01, 2026 - 20:19

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Barbie 2 has a 2026 deadline it needs to hit

Published Aug 1, 2026, 10:52 AM EDT

If a Barbie sequel isn't in the works by the end of the year, it will never happen

A still from the Barbie movie that shows Barbie taking a mugshot. Barbie is played by Margot Robbie and she looks distressed as she holds up a sign that says Barbie LAPD Venice.

The franchise potential of Greta Gerwig's Barbie will never be realized if Warner Bros. can't finalize deals with the director and lead actors by the end of 2026.

This was revealed in a recent report by The New York Times, which detailed WB's struggles to get a Barbie sequel off the ground. The subversive adaptation was a massive hit in 2023, but Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling weren't on the hook for a sequel and went to work on other projects rather than going right into the production of Barbie 2.

The report explains that contract negotiations with the trio have been going on for months, but there's been debate internally at WB around how exactly to structure their offers. If no deals are reached by Dec. 2026, the film rights will revert to Mattel.

While Mattel Studios can produce a new Barbie movie once that deal expires, it could not be connected to WB's beloved adaptation at all. The report made it clear that WB would like to avoid that situation, especially as it looks for hits in the wake of Supergirl flopping, the studio doesn't seem to be particularly close to getting any deals done.

Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, the co-chairs of WB Pictures, said in a statement to The New York Times that "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. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement thus far." A spokesperson blamed the slow response times on Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling's representation.

The future does not look bright for a potential Barbie 2 right now, but there are other projects for fans of WB's Barbie to look forward to. We will be able to see Mattel Studios' Matchbox The Movie on Apple TV+ this October, Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew on Netflix in Feb. 2027, and Ryan Gosling's MCU take on Ghost Rider sometime in 2028.