Barbie 2: Could the Margot Robbie film get a sequel?

While we all count down the days until Barbie 2 finally arrives, it can be easy to forget that a lot has happened since director Greta Gerwig first invited us all to Barbieland.

Not only has her pink and pristine movie emerged as a surprise juggernaut, divisive patriarchy-poking mega-hit and TikTok-friendly viral craze but it’s broken crazy box-office records to boot. However, as it clears the final hurdles towards a $1bn movie mark the question remains – when will we see Barbie 2?

Well, given the seemingly unstoppable nature of this pink-hued hit, a follow-up to Gerwig and Mattel Films’ first movie feels all but inevitable but the logistics behind its creation are currently trickier to navigate than a journey to the real world.

Read more: Is Barbie suitable for kids?

While it’s still early days, here’s everything we know about Barbie 2 so far, including its potential cast, plot, speed bumps, release date and more.

Barbie 2 release date

As it stands, Barbie 2 is yet to receive an official go-ahead from Warner Bros. and until it does, we have no idea when to expect it in cinemas.

That means that our first port of call is to keep an eye out for the movie getting the green light. Once that’s in the bag, we can start packing for Barbieland and learning more about what our next trip might entail.

Barbie 2 plot

As of early August, it was official: Barbie is a billion-dollar movie, making Gerwig the first solo female filmmaker to have helmed such a highly-grossing feature. Under any other circumstance, studios would be falling over themselves to lock in at least one sequel - but Warner Bros. is yet to do so with Barbie.

Much of this has to do with the WGA SAG/AFTRA strike, which is currently ongoing and stopping any negotiations between stars and their agents and studios regarding new movie roles. There’s more to the issue than just the strike but we’ll get to that later.

Throw into the mix Gerwig’s recent sequel comments and the idea of her returning to Barbie and Ken’s Dream House being a done deal doesn’t feel guaranteed.

Read more: Greta Gerwig proves that life in plastic really is fantastic

“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” she told The New York Times shortly after the film debuted. “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.”

Barbie star Margot Robbie, who also produced the movie under her LuckyChap production company banner, had similar thoughts when quizzed about sequels before the film released.

“It could go a million different directions from this point,” she said to Time magazine, “but I think you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels.”

That said, Gerwig has also gone on the record as saying that she hopes her Barbie movie “is the launch of a world and a bunch of different Barbie movies.”

The filmmaker, who co-wrote Barbie with Noah Baumbach, told People: “There’s a tone and a humour and a joy, and obviously the world is so beautiful... I want to go back to Barbie Land.”

So at this point, anything goes. While Gerwig’s “zero” comments could just be a way of waiting for Barbie to bank as much money as it can while the strike persists, allowing her, Baumbach, Robbie and Ryan Gosling's Ken to go back to the negotiating table with a bulletproof position, it also means that we’re yet to hear any solid plot details about what a Barbie 2 might entail.

Despite all this uncertainty, a green light feels guaranteed in everything other than a contract, with Mattel Films’ CEO Ynon Kreiz already discussing his plans for more movies with Variety.

“Successful movies lend themselves to more movies. Our ambition is to create film franchises,” he told the outlet, calling Barbie a “very rich universe.”

Maybe we need to consult with Weird Barbie for some crystal ball advice.

Barbie 2 cast

Robbie and her smouldering scene-stealing Ken co-star Gosling may be the centre of Gerwig’s first Barbie story but that doesn’t guarantee that they’ll return for a sequel.

Thanks to the movie’s multiple Barbie-filled universe, Gerwig – or whoever else ultimately signs on to tackle a sequel or spin-off film – could potentially decide to focus on any number of different Barbies played by any number of different stars.

Perhaps Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy could be swapping atom bombs for snug-fitting swimming shorts in the next outing.

"Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure," the Peaky Blinders star said during a recent chat with Cinéfilos (via People). "Let's read the script and let's have a conversation."

Still, fans will likely be clamouring for more of Robbie’s OG Barbie and Gosling’s horse-obsessed Ken. However, their road to returning isn’t free from speed bumps either.

Unlike the stars of other big tentpole franchises like Star Wars or the output produced by Marvel or DC, Barbie’s main duo weren’t tied into multiple-film deals when signing on for part one.

What’s more, Gosling’s apparent aversion to big-budget blockbusters and their never ending sequels could complicate things further. In short: maybe the idea of becoming Ken and Ken only to an entirely new generation of film fans just isn’t something that appeals to him.

Meanwhile, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Gerwig and Baumbach also have no deal in place to return.

Then there’s the film’s unstoppable box-office reign - something that only improves creators’ position when they inevitably return to the negotiating table for part two after the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes end.

Until this happens, we won’t have any idea who might return to star in - or helm - Barbie 2.

Barbie 2 trailer

We looked all over the Mojo Dojo Casa House. We checked the pink Corvette. We combed beach – but there doesn’t seem to be any sign of a Barbie 2 trailer just yet. Hopefully, once the film receives the go-ahead, we’ll start to see more.

Barbie 2 is yet to be confirmed.