'Life in plastic, it's fantastic' and it certainly is when it's been such a hit at the box office following the release of the debut film and fans are wondering will there be a second Barbie movie?
The Barbie movie which was released on July 21st, has had families asking if the Barbie movie is for kids following its 12A rating with others waiting until Barbie will be available to stream - but that's not stopped it from raking in a staggering £125m ($162m) domestically and £150m ($194m) internationally.
And the doll, which is one of the best selling toys of all time, has reignited a 'Barbiecore' bonanza with the most popular Barbies contributing to the 100 Barbie dolls sold worldwide every minute. Thanks to the evolution of Barbie, there are also more diverse Barbie's available now than ever before.
And with everyone talking about the feminist message the film depicts, with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling paid the same staggering sum for their roles, talk has turned to the Barbie movie ending. Read on while we take a look at whether there's a sequel on the horizon...
Will there be a second Barbie movie?
While nothing definite has been spoken yet about a possible second Barbie movie, director Greta Gerwig has admitted she's adopting the classic 'wait and see approach'. In an interview with ET (Entertainment Tonight), Greta said, "Honestly, I'm just focused on getting this one out and crossing all my fingers and toes. And then we'll see what happens after that."
She even teased a sequel before Barbie was even released - in a November 2022 interview with Variety, Gerwig told the publication that it would “certainly be exciting” to have more Barbie movies.
But later when asked in an interview with New York Times if she feels this movie is the start of a franchise, or if she feels “Barbie” is a complete story with a definitive ending?
Greta answered, "At this moment, it’s all I’ve got. 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."
And before we all sob into our sweet and salty popcorn, while there's nothing certain about a potential Ken spin-off, it hasn't stopped the speculation.
According to Daniel Richtman, via World of Reel, there's allegedly a Ken spin-off movie with Ryan Gosling attached to star in the works for Warner Bros. Discovery.
It's said to be in the early stages but this and any other details are unknown and unconfirmed.
And some fans are totally up for seeing a sequel after Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy admitted he is open to playing Ken in a potential Barbie sequel. He told Omelete, "Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure, yeah,” Murphy replied. “Let’s read the script, let’s have a conversation.”
One fan wrote, "I wish he would play a Ken." Another fan added, "The world needs this!"
While others think it should remain a one-off than a spin-off. One fan pleaded, "Barbie does not require a sequel. Like Oppenheimer, it nailed what it was going for."
What have the cast said so far about a Barbie sequel?
Margot Robbie, who plays Barbie in the self-titled movie, has made her feeling clear about a potential sequel. She told TIME Magazine that "one shouldn’t fall into a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels”. In expressing her caution, she wants to wait and watch how successful the first is before greenlighting the sequel.
Ryan Gosling recently told ET that he'd happily slip back into Ken's beach ‘fits [outfits] again. "I would work with Greta and Margot on anything," he said.
Meanwhile, Barbie doll manufacturers are keen. According to TIME Magazine, Ynon Kreiz, Mattel’s chief executive officer, showed ‘remarkable enthusiasm’ for “more Barbie movies”.
Check out our tips and tricks for how to get cheap cinema tickets to see the Barbie movie for a fraction of the standard price.
