Barbie's adventures in the real world may not be over, with the head of Warner Bros saying that the studio is "always talking" to director Greta Gerwig about the possibility of a Barbie sequel.

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Based on the iconic Mattel doll, the colourful comedy stormed cinemas last summer to become the highest grossing film of 2023, amassing a worldwide total of more than $1.4 billion.

Critical acclaim accompanied that commercial success, with Barbie being one of the major contenders at tomorrow night's Academy Awards – although some fans have criticised the perceived "snubs" of both Gerwig and star Margot Robbie.

In an interview with BBC News, Warner Bros CEO and co-chair Pam Adby expressed her disappointment that the pair were shut out of the Director and Best Actress categories, but stopped short of calling Academy voters "sexist".

Adby went on to say that she would "love" to see a Barbie sequel, but assured that the final decision would lie with "visionary" Gerwig, who she described as "one of the best filmmakers working today".

Earlier this week, the celebrated director said she was open to the idea of another Barbie film, but that it would need a compelling enough "undertow" to justify its existence (via Variety).

In the first film, that was the "generational" divide in Barbie's perception, shown through the principal characters of mother Gloria (America Ferrera) and her distant daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt).

Margot Robbie, Alexandra Shipp, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt and America Ferrera in Barbie
Margot Robbie, Alexandra Shipp, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt and America Ferrera in Barbie. Warner Bros Pictures

Gerwig concluded: "I’m always trying to find those undertows. If I find the undertow, then we get it. If I don’t find an undertow, there’s no more."

Ferrera and co-star Ryan Gosling represent Barbie's acting nominations, while the film also has a chance for gold in the categories of Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design, Production Design and Best Picture.

The Academy Awards take place on Sunday 10th March. Watch on ITV1/ITVX. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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