Ryan Gosling’s $20M demand reportedly holding up Barbie 2
Barbie 2 is encountering behind-the-scenes snags, with reportedly costly negotiations creating unexpected headaches for Warner Bros. and Mattel — can the follow-up get rolling smoothly?
Nobody locked in sequel terms on the first movie, so every major deal on Barbie 2—for Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling —has to be built from scratch. That’s turned the follow-up into a full-on negotiation over base pay and, especially, a bigger cut of profits, with a reported studio deadline in December pushing the talks.
What’s the holdup
The first film hauled in about $1.5 billion worldwide, and the talent wants to be paid like it. On his podcast The Town, journalist Matt Belloni said the core players are asking for significantly more than the studio’s current offers.
“They all want a lot more money because this did 1.5 billion worldwide,”
Belloni added a specific number for Gosling:
“Gosling wants $20 million.”
Inside the studio, the friction reportedly traces to Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav, who is said to view some proposed payouts as too rich. A Warner Bros. representative pushed back on that characterization, saying talent reps rejected a May offer and haven’t sent a counter since.
Gerwig and her writing partner (and husband) Noah Baumbach are said to have a sequel idea ready, but they’re keeping it under wraps until contracts are signed. Belloni also noted on his show that this kind of leverage—floating numbers and narratives in the press—often happens by design during high-stakes dealmaking.
Where to watch Barbie now
While the sequel stalls, the 2023 hit is easy to find in the U.S.:
- Streaming: Max (also as a Max add-on via Prime Video Channels and YouTube TV)
- Rent/Buy: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV , Fandango at Home, YouTube, Google Play (typically $4–$6)
- Free option: none currently available legally in the U.S.
Availability outside the U.S. varies; in parts of Europe it has intermittently shown up on Netflix, while other regions lean on local Max/HBO services or digital retailers. Animated Barbie classics are free on the official Barbie YouTube channel, but the 2023 live-action film isn’t included there.
There’s no start date for the sequel; talks are up against a reported December deadline.