Margot Robbie's Barbie 2 comments don't inspire hope for the sequel, but they hint at a better way of honoring the original blockbuster hit.
SUMMARY
Margot Robbie's comments about Barbie 2 suggest that a straightforward sequel to Barbie may not be the best way to move forward from the original's success.
Robbie's reluctance about a sequel implies that recapturing the magic of the first film could be a challenge.
Instead of a sequel, Robbie believes that the success of original films like Barbie should inspire studios to take risks on more big-budget original blockbusters.
Margot Robbie’s latest comments about Barbie 2 offer a better way of moving forward from the box office phenomenon than producing a straightforward sequel. Writer-director Greta Gerwig's Barbie, for which Robbie is credited as star and producer, will likely finish the year as 2023’s biggest movie. Barbie’s massive $1.4 billion box office (via The Numbers) has already spawned plans for similar films; Mattel’s CEO has laid out the company’s plans for a so-called Mattel cinematic universe, with other high-profile filmmakers in talks to turn more of the toy company’s IP into major movies.
However, the most obvious follow-up to Barbie has yet to be confirmed. A potential Barbie 2 would need to see Robbie and Gerwig returning if it stands any chance of recapturing the magic of the original. Yet neither figure seems enthusiastic about the project; Robbie’s most recent comments only seem to double down on this reluctance. Nevertheless, the star’s love of Barbie is clear, and her statements indicate that a sequel isn’t the only way to honor the film’s legacy.
Margot Robbie Has Exposed The Biggest Problem With Making Barbie 2
Robbie’s red carpet interview with Associated Press delivered the clearest articulation of the problems with a Barbie sequel yet. When asked about a potential follow-up, Robbie stated that the original film wouldn't likely support one. In Robbie’s words, “We didn’t build it to be a trilogy or something.” Indeed, Barbie’s immensely satisfying self-contained story doesn’t offer a clear way into a sequel. The ending of Barbie sees Robbie's titular character leaving the colorful world of Barbieland to live as an ordinary human woman. A follow-up that picks up here would likely be a standard fish-out-of-water story lacking the originality and magic that made the first film work.
In the interview, Robbie also admitted, “I think we put everything into this one.” Barbie is a clear labor of love, with Gerwig's passion evident in every frame. Robbie’s tepid response to a sequel implies that, even if Barbie 2 were put into development, its star-producer and writer-director would struggle to summon the same levels of passion and creative vision. The worst possible future for the Barbie franchise isn’t a lack of sequels; it’s the pollution of the first film’s legacy through forced and cynical follow-ups.
Margot Robbie's Comments Show What Should Happen Instead Of Barbie 2
Robbie’s comments don't bode well for a direct sequel to Barbie. However, during her discussion with Associated Press, the actor suggested that Barbie 2 isn't the only way to honor the original film's success. She told the outlet that there's a more important message studios should take away from the film's legacy: Indeed, the Barbenheimer phenomenon, which saw both Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer do major business at the box office, proves that audiences will show up for original blockbusters helmed by interesting filmmakers. The best follow-up to Barbie isn’t Barbie 2; it’s more films in the spirit of Barbie. Spending big on auteur directors naturally constitutes a risk, but at a time when massive franchises like Marvel and Fast and Furious are seeing unprecedented box office disappointments, a risk might be what’s necessary to change cinema for the better.
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