20 Upcoming Movies Facing Huge Issues
6. The Massive Cast & Crew Salaries - Barbie 2
Considering that Barbie was a genuine pop-culture phenomenon, grossing almost $1.5 billion globally and receiving eight Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), it's little surprise that Warner Bros. was eager for a sequel, even though writer-director Greta Gerwig initially claimed she had no plans for a follow-up.
By this past July, however, Barbie 2 was said to be in active development, just as a report emerged that the sequel has stalled due to salary disputes.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has apparently baulked at the large paydays demanded by Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, none of whom were initially signed to star in sequels when the first film was put together.
Warner has reportedly made half a dozen offers to Gerwig, none of which have been accepted, and compounding this issue is time - the studio has to get the deal closed by December, or the Barbie rights revert to Mattel and the film cannot go ahead in its current iteration.
Considering how much money Barbie made and how much the sequel will surely make, Warner is bonkers not to give the trio exactly what they're asking for here.