Salary Deadlock, Will We See More of Margot Robbie's Barbie?

4 hours ago 2

August 5, 2026 | 03:48 pm

Margot Robbie for Greta Gerwig's Barbie (2023). Instagram/@barbiethemovie

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The sequel for the hit 2023 movie "Barbie" is stuck in a limbo following a deadlock in contract negotiation between Warner Bros. Discovery and its main cast. Talks are reportedly stalled after studio executives objected to the financial compensation proposed by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was reluctant to agree to a new contract offer deemed too high, including a profit-sharing agreement based on box office performance. Actor Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, reportedly requested a base salary increase of up to US$20 million (approximately Rp325 billion).

Contract Dispute and Copyright Deadline

The delay stemmed from an initial production agreement, in which Warner Bros. did not bind the cast and director Greta Gerwig to a multi-film contract. According to Variety, this policy was taken so that Gerwig would be willing to work on the first film without the burden of a sequel.

As a result, when the first film grossed over US$1.4 billion globally, the studio had to start talks from scratch to bring them back.

Warner Bros. management is now racing against a tight deadline of December, with a lack of a deal by then reverting the film rights back to toy manufacturer Mattel. This could force Mattel to completely overhaul the project with a new cast and director.

The studio itself confirmed the intense negotiations. Warner Bros. co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca reiterated their commitment to preserving the franchise.

“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 studio representative said in an official statement, as quoted by The New York Times.

Studio Response

In response to reports of executive rejection, a Warner Bros. spokesperson clarified the negotiations. The studio denied that any previously agreed-upon deal had been canceled.

“Over three years, a half dozen offers have been made by WB to the creative team behind the original Barbie movie. There was never an agreed upon framework that was approved and pulled back. Reps declined the most recent offer which is among the biggest Warner Bros. has made for a film," said a Warner Bros. spokesperson, as quoted by The Independent on Monday, August 3, 2026.

Meanwhile, producer and lead actress Margot Robbie previously stated that the first film was designed as a standalone work with no confirmed storyline. Robbie shared her views on public expectations for a sequel.

“It’s funny, that knee-jerk reaction in this day and age for everyone to immediately ask about a sequel,” Robbie said.

If negotiations are reached, filming is not expected to begin anytime soon given the busy schedules of the lead actors. Margot Robbie is currently working on Ocean's 11, while Ryan Gosling and Greta Gerwig have other major production commitments for the next few years.