Robbie Brenner, producer of the hit live-action film "Barbie" and head of Mattel Studios, said she is confident a sequel will eventually happen, though she gave no indication of when. She made the comment to an audience at the Toronto Film Festival.
She said everyone wants to see a Barbie sequel. She added that she wants to see it too, and that she is sure it will happen at some point, someday.
Animated film comes first
Brenner said the current focus is an animated "Barbie" film being made with Chris Meledandri. She called the project very exciting and said Mattel will keep making more Barbie content beyond that.
Who is Robbie Brenner
Brenner is president of Mattel Studios and the company's chief content officer. She spoke as part of "TIFF: The Market," the sales and industry conference strand of the Toronto Film Festival, a major annual event that draws studios, buyers and filmmakers from around the world.
Brenner earned an Oscar nomination as a producer on the live-action "Barbie," directed by Greta Gerwig, which took in $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office and starred Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The film was produced in partnership with Robbie and Tom Ackerley of LuckyChap Entertainment, along with David Heyman.
Sequel talks heating up
Speculation over a follow-up film intensified in July, when a report in The New York Times said Warner Bros. had until December to reach a deal with Robbie, Gosling and Gerwig, who co-wrote and directed the first movie.
Behind the scenes of the original
Brenner also shared stories from the making of the first film. She said she had heard 40 or 50 different pitches before Gerwig came on board.
She recalled that Gerwig had a clear vision for what she wanted to do, telling the team she loved Barbie, had grown up with Barbie, and did not know exactly what the story was but knew it would land somewhere between a high heel and a Birkenstock. Brenner said that was the moment the team began the project with Gerwig, and that hearing her describe it in those terms was when they understood what she meant.
Barbie's impact on Mattel
Brenner said the film's success mattered enormously for Mattel as a company. She said Barbie put Mattel on the map when it came to content and made people realize the company actually makes movies. She added that it gave Mattel credibility and created the sense that the studio truly takes risks and makes bold choices.
