Barbie 2: Ryan Gosling Is Requesting Huge Payday to Reprise Iconic Ken Role
The studio has rejected more than six offers as Ryan Gosling seeks $20 million and the creative team presses for stronger back-end terms, sources said.
- Warner Bros. Discovery and the creative team—director Greta Gerwig, stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and co-writer Noah Baumbach—remain at a standstill over pay and back-end compensation for a potential Barbie sequel, delaying development.
- WB film chiefs De Luca and Abdy have roughly four months to greenlight a sequel or rights revert to toymaker Mattel; the studio has reportedly made over six offers in the past three years without resolution.
- While the creative team is reportedly satisfied with upfront salaries, they remain dissatisfied with back-end terms. Gosling is specifically asking $20 million to reprise his role as Ken.
- Observers criticize CEO David Zaslav for jeopardizing the studio's highest-grossing franchise during a sensitive period, with a potential Paramount merger pending before year-end adding urgency to the standoff.
- Should mogul David Ellison succeed in his bid for the company, insiders suggest he could reactivate Mattel rights and bring the original creative team back to the table.
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27 Articles
While the rights to a suite could definitely escape Warner Bros, the negotiations between the studio and the movie stars skate.
'Barbie 2' stalled over Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig's fee hike?
Barbie sequel negotiations have reportedly stalled after multiple offers were rejected. The creative team seeks significant pay increases and upfront compensation for the film. Ryan Gosling reportedly wants twenty million dollars to reprise his role as Ken. Warner Bros. and the creative team remain at an impasse over financial demands. A sequel will not proceed unless the studio agrees to the team's terms.
Barbie 2 is in limbo due to a dispute over salary demands
Warner Bros’ Barbie sequel is in trouble – seemingly because boss David Zaslav doesn’t want to pay the director and stars too much money. When Barbie became one of 2023’s most talked-about and acclaimed Hollywood films, it was inevitable that Warner Bros would begin pushing for a sequel. Three years on, however, and Barbie 2 is still at an impasse – and now there’s only a matter of weeks left to get the project in motion, otherwise the rights to…
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