Margot Robbie rules out Barbie sequel despite historic success

"Barbie", the movie by Greta Gerwig which premiered this summer, has made a defining impact. Garnering a huge income, it became the biggest hit in the 100-year history of Warner Bros. studios. However, Margot Robbie, who played the title role, doesn't seem keen on reprising it.

The American director's latest endeavor was first and foremost a marketing triumph. With Robbie frequently appearing on red carpets in outfits directly inspired by vintage doll styles, Barbie dolls began to dominate store shelves again. Their popularity was rekindled among everyone, not just children. The dazzling pink universe of the story provided a stark contrast to Chrisopher Nolan's movie, "Oppenheimer", providing a diverse cinema landscape that partly fuelled the success of "Barbie".

By July 2023, even infrequent moviegoers were drawn to cinemas due to the hype surrounding the "Barbie" film. This drastically contributed to the monumental success of this original creation, which wasn't based on any long-standing, profitable franchise. With a budget of $145 million, Gerwig's movie made nearly 100 times more, grossing over $1.4 billion.

Given the current trend for sequels and series these days, Robbie was asked about the potential continuation of Barbie's adventures in a recent interview with the "Associated Press". "I believe that we invested everything into this single film. We didn't approach it with the intention to create a trilogy or something similar. Greta [Gerwig, the director] did the same. I find it hard to visualize what could come next," noted the actress, according to Deadline.

The "Wolf of Wall Street" actress, whose career was made co-starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, believes that the "Barbie" movie demonstrates that original films still hold power to gather large audiences.

"It doesn't necessarily need to be a sequel, prequel, or remake. An entirely original film can achieve big success if it is given a substantial budget. Moreover, the misconception that a film with a female lead won't interest all groups within the audience, unfortunately, still persists among many people," the star articulated.

The "Barbie" movie unfolds the tale of the iconic doll living in an ideal fairy-tale world that suddenly becomes unpredictable. Robbie's character is gripped with a deep existential crisis, which the doll can only overcome by venturing into the real human world.

The movie was directed by Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the script with her partner, Noah Baumbach. The cast features well-known actors such as Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, and Michael Cera. The film is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Canal+ Online.