Margot Robbie's 'Barbie' payday revealed as sequel negotiations stall out

Key Points:

• Margot Robbie reportedly earned $50 million from starring in and producing “Barbie,” with director Greta Gerwig also making tens of millions from the 2023 film’s success.
• Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has allegedly refused to pay the negotiated salaries for the core “Barbie” team, including Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Gerwig, and Noah Baumbach, leading to multiple rejected offers over three years.
• Ryan Gosling is reportedly asking for $20 million to reprise his role as Ken, while the team seeks pay increases and back-end participation, causing a potential crisis for the “Barbie” sequel.
• If Warner Bros. cannot reach an agreement with the creative team, the “Barbie” movie rights may revert to toy company Mattel, which could license the brand to another studio.
• Gerwig and Baumbach have a sequel concept but will not proceed with writing or sharing it until contracts are finalized, while Robbie has expressed doubts about making a follow-up film.