Summary
A newBarbiemovie is reportedly being discussed, but Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig are said to not be keen on the idea. Based on the iconic Mattel doll,Barbie,which was directed by Gerwig and features Robbie in the title role, was released last summer to critical and commercial success. The movie becoming a smash hit led to questions regarding thepotential forBarbie 2and the larger future of the screen side of the franchise.
Is An Animated Barbie Movie Inevitable?
Illumination Is An Obvious Choice For An Animated Barbie Universe
Barbiereviewswere glowing from critics and audiences alike, and the film ended up becoming a box office sensation. Made on an estimated budget of $145 million, the film would ultimately gross $1.446 billion worldwide. From every angle, the film was a hit, andMattel will certainly be taking this as a sign that the world is ready for moreBarbie.
Barbie’s success was due in part to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, which began as a result of both Gerwig’s film and Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimerreleasing on the same day. What began as an apparent competition between the two films eventually blossomed into a celebration of both among audiences.

Barbie 2with both Gerwig and Robbie is an obvious place to start given the positive reception to their creative vision for the character. AKen spinoff starring Ryan Gosling, too, is another possibility. Pushing the franchise into feature film animation, however, would be an additional way to create moreBarbiecontent potentially without messing with whatever ideas Gerwig may have in place for the live-action realm. Illumination, specifically, would also be a big get for Mattel given the company’s involvement in some of the most successful animated movies in recent memory.
14 Upcoming Movies Based On Mattel Toys Releasing After Barbie
Mattel Films has announced numerous developments to turn its famous toys into major motion pictures, all inspired by the massive success of Barbie.
In addition toDespicable MeandMinions,Illumination releasedThe Super Mario Bros. Moviein 2023, which, despite lukewarm reviews from critics, was a major hit with audiences and grossed $1.362 billion worldwide. Many of Illumination’s movies, in fact, follow a similar trend, receiving middling responses from critics but striking a major chord with family audiences. Though it might be Illumination’s critical track record that is giving Robbie and Gerwig pause, Mattel partnering with the company for an animatedBarbiemovie makes a lot of sense from a commercial perspective.

Source:Puck
Barbie
Barbie is a multimedia franchise that started with the original Barbie doll created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, who would go on to be a co-founder of Mattel. Over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold since then, which spawned several TV shows, movies, video games, and other merchandise. In 2023, a Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie was released.
