‘Barbie’ directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written with her partner and fellow director Noah Baumbach, is a sly, subversive and over-the-top paean for female equality and against toxic masculinity. This is great news for fans of the doll and those who are looking for a feminist film that challenges traditional gender roles. However, it could also be bad news for Warner Bros., as the film is likely to be successful and the studio may want to greenlight a whole slew of sequels.
Robbie told Time magazine that “it could go a million different directions from this point, but I think you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels.” Gerwig, on the other hand, was more cheerful about the prospect, telling Variety that “it would certainly be exciting if it was.”
However, it is important to note that both of these interviews were conducted before the release of ‘Barbie’, so it is possible that their views have changed since then.
Ultimately, it will be up to Warner Bros. to decide whether or not to greenlight more ‘Barbie’ movies. However, if they do decide to make more sequels, they should be careful not to lose sight of the film’s original feminist message.
‘Barbie’, the $145 million film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is expected to generate at least $90 million in domestic ticket sales over the weekend in the US. ‘Barbie’ shares its opening weekend with another summer tentpole, Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb drama ‘Oppenheimer’.
