Warner Bros. Stalled Talks Threaten Barbie Sequel

Negotiations between Warner Bros. and the core creative team behind the 2023 blockbuster "Barbie" have reached an impasse, jeopardizing a potential sequel. The studio reportedly has until December 2026 to finalize deals with director Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, or the rights to produce another Barbie film will revert to toy company Mattel.

A key point of contention appears to be compensation. Offers from the studio have reportedly included profit-sharing for the talent if a sequel achieves certain box office milestones, as well as upfront raises. One proposal included paying Gosling $20 million, according to some reports. However, a studio representative stated that talent representatives declined an offer made in May 2026 and have not yet submitted a counteroffer. Meanwhile, other accounts suggest Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav viewed the proposed deals as too generous, though the studio has disputed this characterization.

In a joint statement, Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca confirmed the challenges. "We have a rights deal with Mattel in place and have made a series of big offers to try and finalize deals to make...