Margot Robbie reportedly received $50 million for her work on the blockbuster film "Barbie," which includes her role as star and producer. The "Barbie" sequel is currently facing difficulties as the creative team, including Robbie, co-star Ryan Gosling, and director Greta Gerwig, are in salary negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery. Reports indicate that the studio's CEO, David Zaslav, has refused to meet the salary demands of the core "Barbie" team.
Sources cited by Variety suggest that Warner Bros. has made more than six offers over the past three years since the film's release, all of which have been rejected by the creative team. The latest offer is described as the studio's "highest ever," with one insider calling the proposed compensation "life-changing money." However, another source disputed this, stating that the individual compensation for Robbie, Gosling, Gerwig, and co-writer Noah Baumbach is not as substantial as the overall figure suggests. The reported financial requests involve increased upfront fees and back-end participation for Robbie, Gosling, and Gerwig, while Baumbach would receive a fee hike.
Ryan Gosling is reportedly seeking $20 million to reprise his role as Ken in a potential sequel. If an agreement cannot be reached with the core team, there is a possibility that the "Barbie" movie rights could revert to Mattel, allowing the toy company to license the brand to another studio.
Beyond Robbie's earnings, director Greta Gerwig is said to have made "tens of millions of dollars" from the 2023 film. Gerwig and Baumbach have developed ideas for a sequel, but they reportedly intend to withhold them until contracts are finalized. Representatives for Robbie, Gosling, Gerwig, Baumbach, and Warner Bros. have been contacted for comment.
"Barbie" achieved global success, grossing $1.4 billion worldwide. Following the film's triumph, discussions about a sequel were initiated. Gerwig previously expressed that her creative drive stems from identifying a core story, stating that if she finds an "undertow" for "Barbie," a sequel would be possible. She also indicated enthusiasm for working with the same cast and crew again.
However, Robbie had previously suggested in November 2023 that she "can't imagine" making a follow-up film, noting that "everything" was put into the original "Barbie" and that it was not conceived as a trilogy. She added that she could not envision what would come next after Gerwig's complete dedication to the first movie.