As Mattel envisions a massive cinematic universe with more than 45 movies rooted in childhood nostalgia, one name stands tall: Barbie. With her diverse roles, from a doctor to a president, Barbie’s narrative universe is truly limitless. In today’s era of franchise-dominated theaters, from Marvel epics to Fast & Furious spectacles, Barbie seems to be the perfect answer to the IP quest.
Mattel’s Aspiration vs The Creative Team’s Insight
Despite Mattel’s grand cinematic visions, the makers of the original Barbie film appear contemplative. Actress Margot Robbie, while talking to Time, stated, “It could go a million different directions from this point. 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.”
Director Greta Gerwig, responding to the buzz about potential sequels and a focus on Gosling’s Ken, emphasized her commitment to the initial movie, saying, “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.” However, in a more recent interaction with The New York Times, Gerwig hinted at a possible end of the line for her Barbie journey. “At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” she shared.
Star Power: The Cast’s Enthusiasm
A key aspect of the Barbie film’s enchantment lies in its stellar cast. Ryan Gosling expressed enthusiasm to revisit his role as Ken, noting his desire to collaborate again with Gerwig and Robbie. For fans of Barbenheimer, the prospect of Cillian Murphy, the star of Oppenheimer, joining the cinematic world as another Ken offers immense excitement. Murphy, showing interest in Barbie 2, remarked, “Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure, yeah. Let’s read the script, let’s have a conversation… I can’t wait to see [Barbie].”
.@NICKIMINAJ, @icespicee_ and AQUA's "Barbie World" has now sold over 2 million units in the US. pic.twitter.com/dgsQYGWRZL
— chart data (@chartdata) October 18, 2023
Plotting Barbie’s Next Adventure
With no concrete sequel announcement yet, the biggest mystery remains: What would a Barbie 2 narrative entail? Could it spotlight Robbie’s Barbie, Hari Nef’s Dr. Barbie, Issa Rae’s President Barbie, or perhaps pivot towards Gosling’s Ken or Michael Cera’s Allan? The vast universe of Barbie offers innumerable possibilities.
As audiences, all we can do now is cherish the current masterpiece and eagerly await any announcements, hoping that the cinematic magic of Barbie continues to sparkle in future releases.
