• "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig said she was at "totally zero" regarding ideas for a sequel.
• THR reported in December 2024 that "Barbie 2" is in "early stages" based on a concept from Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.
• However, reps for Gerwig, Baumbach, and Warner Bros. denied THR's report, calling it inaccurate.

It looks like everyone is living in a "Barbie" world, and the party might not be over yet.

The 2023 Greta Gerwig-directed movie starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken raked in $1.4 billion globally, winning the box office battle against Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer." 

"Barbie" wasn't just a box office sensation. The movie earned an 88% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, landed eight Oscar nominations, and became a pop culture phenomenon. 

Given its critical and commercial success, it's only natural to wonder whether the studio is planning "Barbie 2" with Mattel, the toy company behind Barbie.

Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz previously told Time magazine that the company is keen to make "more 'Barbie' movies."

"We're looking to create movies that become cultural events. If you can excite filmmakers like Greta and Noah to embrace the opportunity and have creative freedom, you can have a real impact," he said.

At the time, Gerwig said she was unsure about taking on a sequel, but a new report suggests that she might be back for more. 

Greta Gerwig addressed 'Barbie 2' in a 2023 interview with The New York Times

In an interview published in July 2023, the director told The New York Times that she exhausted all her ideas for "Barbie."

"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," Gerwig said.

She added, "I wouldn't want to squash anybody else's dream but for me, at this moment, I'm at totally zero."

However, speaking to Uproxx about Ken's obsession with Sylvester Stallone in the movie, Gerwig joked that the "Rocky" star could show up in "Barbie 2," or even direct it himself.

"You never know!" she said. "Or that he's going to direct it. I mean, he's welcome to it. It would be an honor. It would be such an honor."

While Gerwig wasn't sold on the idea of returning, star and producer Robbie told Time in June 2023 that conversations about a sequel had yet to happen.

"It could go a million different directions from this point," she said. 

But Robbie also said that "you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels." 

Mattel is also looking to make movies based on its other properties, like a Hot Wheels movie being developed by J.J. Abrams. 

A new report suggested a 'Barbie' sequel could be in the works, but it's unclear

On December 13, 2024, The Hollywood Reporter published a story reporting that Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, who cowrote the "Barbie" screenplay, presented Warner Bros. with an idea for a sequel that was in the "early stages." The publication also said that talks about a deal were in similarly early stages.

Don't get excited yet, though: Gerwig and Baumbach's rep denied THR's report, telling the publication, "There is no legitimacy to this reporting."

And a rep for Warner Bros. said, "THR's reporting is inaccurate."

That won't stop the inevitable rumors about a sequel to Greta Gerwig's mega-blockbuster, of course.

Teyonah Parris and Sam Richardson are the latest stars to be a part of whatever this Matchbox movie's gonna be.

• Universal released "Wicked" on the same day as Paramount's "Gladiator II."
• The coincidental release date has seen the movies dubbed "Glicked" — an echo of "Barbenheimer."
• They will have to make over $2 billion to compete with "Oppenheimer" plus "Barbie."

There's a new "Barbenheimer" in town, as two other highly anticipated blockbusters, "Wicked" and "Gladiator 2," have premiered on the same day.

Last year, the polar-opposite movies "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" were coincidentally released on July 21.

This created a cultural moment, dubbed "Barbenheimer," that breathed life into a struggling industry as cinemagoers approached the films as a double bill.

Despite worries about the clash, "Barbenheimer" was a huge success.

"Barbie" became Warner Bros.'s highest-grossing movie, and "Oppenheimer" set a record for the highest-grossing biopic. They made over $2 billion combined.

In July, Universal announced that "Wicked" would be released on November 22 instead of November 27, clashing with Paramount's "Gladiator 2."

The coincidental pairing was promptly dubbed "Glicked."

Others complained that it seemed like an attempt to re-create the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.

Last year, some fans who noticed that "Saw X" and a "PAW Patrol" movie had the same release date tried to make "Saw Patrol" happen, but it didn't generate a similar buzz.

"Wicked" and "Gladiator II" will likely fare better.

"Gladiator II," directed by Ridley Scott ("Alien," "House of Gucci"), is a sequel to one of the biggest movies of the 2000s, so it already has a fan base.

It stars buzzy actors including Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington, which could carry it to success.

Meanwhile, "Wicked," directed by Jon M. Chu ("Crazy Rich Asians," "Step Up 2: The Streets"), is the first of a two-part movie adaptation of one of the most famous musicals. Variety reported last year that the musical had made over $5 billion globally since its premiere in 2003.

Non-Disney movie musicals have been a tougher sell in cinemas, but "Wicked" has picked up momentum thanks to the star power of Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.

"Glicked" becoming a cultural moment like "Barbenheimer" would give Paramount, Universal, and movie theatres a welcome boost after a slow summer.

Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for Comscore, told Business Insider via email that the success of "Barbenheimer" was a "first of its kind scenario" that will likely not be replicated. But he said this trend has likely raised awareness for "Wicked" and "Gladiator 2."

"The studios behind both films should embrace the social media conversation and excitement that this key pre-Thanksgiving multiplex match-up is generating in the movie marketplace," Dergarabedian said. "There's really no downside to something like this."