Barbie sequel finally in early stages as writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach settle on an idea

A year and a half since Barbie set the box office ablaze, a sequel finally seems to be coming to fruition.

Barbie opened to a whopping $162 million in mid-July 2023, en route to $636.2 million at the domestic box office and $1.4 billion worldwide.

Given it’s massive success, a sequel seemed inevitable, though writer-director Greta Gerwig and her husband/co-writer Noah Baumbach had been hesitant to move forward.

Gerwig said during Time’s Women of the Year honors in March 2024, ‘My North Star is, what do I deeply love? What do I really care about? What’s the story underneath this story? If I find the undertow, then we get it. If I don’t find an undertow, there’s no more.’

It seems that Gerwig, 41, and Baumbach, 55, who tied the knot in 2023 after 12 years together, have found that ‘undertow,’ according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

The sequel idea has been presented to Warner Bros. and while it’s in ‘early stages,’ it has gotten deal talks started again.

A year and a half since Barbie set the box office ablaze, a sequel finally seems to be coming to fruition

Given it's massive success, a sequel seemed inevitable, though writer-director Greta Gerwig and her husband/co-writer Noah Baumbach had been hesitant to move forward

Given it’s massive success, a sequel seemed inevitable, though writer-director Greta Gerwig and her husband/co-writer Noah Baumbach had been hesitant to move forward

However, both Warner Bros. and reps for Gerwig and Baumbach pushed back on the report.

There is no legitimacy to this reporting,” says Gerwig and Baumbach’s rep, while a WB rep said, ‘THR’s reporting is inaccurate.’

Even if a sequel is being worked on, it may be quite some time before the writers get around to tackling the script.

Baumbach is currently in post-production on an untitled film for Netflix, which stars Gerwig, Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Laura Dern.

Gerwig herself is also in production on a new Netflix adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia books.

There is no release date for either Baumbach’s untitled film nor for Gerwig’s Narnia film at this time.

It seems likely that Baumbach could start writing the Barbie sequel after wrapping on his film though no time table has been revealed at this time. 

A source contended that Baumbach would get the writing process started and the couple would pass the script back and forth doing various passes. 

However, both Warner Bros. and reps for Gerwig and Baumbach pushed back on the report

However, both Warner Bros. and reps for Gerwig and Baumbach pushed back on the report

' There is no legitimacy to this reporting,” says Gerwig and Baumbach’s rep, while a WB rep said, 'THR's reporting is inaccurate'

‘ There is no legitimacy to this reporting,” says Gerwig and Baumbach’s rep, while a WB rep said, ‘THR’s reporting is inaccurate’

Baumbach is currently in post-production on an untitled film for Netflix, which stars Gerwig, Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Laura Dern

Baumbach is currently in post-production on an untitled film for Netflix, which stars Gerwig, Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Laura Dern

Gerwig herself is also in production on a new Netflix adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia books

Gerwig herself is also in production on a new Netflix adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia books

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling would most certainly return as Barbie and Ken, though it's unclear who else from the supporting cast would return

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling would most certainly return as Barbie and Ken, though it’s unclear who else from the supporting cast would return

Gerwig teased during a WGA West event back in October 2023, ‘I find whenever I’ve shared ideas too early, they become bad, then the movie’s not going to be any good. 

‘I don’t like to talk about things too early or pitch things or show treatments too early because it feels like it’s gonna somehow wreck what the movie,’ she said.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling would most certainly return as Barbie and Ken, though it’s unclear who else from the supporting cast would return.

The cast of the original film also includes America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Issa Rae, Alexandra Shipp, Dua Lipa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Michael Cera and more.

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