A new Barbie film is on the way, though it is not a sequel to the live-action adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
As per Deadline, the iconic toy line will be brought to life once again, with Mattel Studios said to be partnering with Illumination – the company behind the Despicable Me franchise – and Universal Pictures for a brand new animated film.
Though details on the project are scarce, it has been reported that the untitled film will be released in cinemas, a move which would make it the first animation in the franchise's history to hit the big screen.
While the animation is tentatively in the works, a sequel to the 2023 live-action is yet to be officially confirmed, with Robbie, Gosling, director Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach all being signed to one-film deals.
Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Baumbach, shared in July 2023 that she hadn't developed any story ideas for a potential follow-up, explaining: "At this moment, it's all I've got.
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"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."
Robbie, who also served as a producer on the film, dampened the talk of a sequel in an interview with TIME, sharing: "I think you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels."
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Despite Gerwig and Robbie sharing that a follow-up wasn't in the forefront of their plans, Mattel CEO and chairman Ynon Kreiz explained in the same interview that the company was intent on building a franchise around the toy line.
"We’re looking to create movies that become cultural events," he said. "If you can excite filmmakers like Greta and Noah to embrace the opportunity and have creative freedom, you can have a real impact."
The animated Barbie film has no release date.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
