Mattel’s timeless Barbie brand gained a fresh audience with the worldwide success of the Barbie movie directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie. Now we have news about when this franchise will return to cinemas again. However, the upcoming Barbie film destined for theaters isn’t a follow-up to the hit movie that sparked a wave of fans rushing to theaters, but it does boast some impressive talent behind its creation.
Today’s news reveals that Mattel Studios and Illumination have sealed a deal to create an original Barbie animated movie for cinema screenings. The upcoming film will mark the first such endeavor for Barbie in theaters. Universal Pictures, who partner with Illumination through exclusive financing and distribution arrangements, are expected to distribute the movie. At present, neither Universal, Illumination, nor Mattel have issued any official statements about the deal.
If Barbie is venturing into feature-length animation, Illumination seems like a solid choice. Known for numerous box office successes, they’ve given us the adored Despicable Me series, leading to the spinoff Minions phenomenon. Moreover, they’ve produced hits such as The Secret Life of Pets 1 and 2, Sing 1 and 2, and my personal favorite adaptation yet, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.
Lately, the studio has enjoyed success with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Migration, and Despicable Me 4. They are currently developing The Super Mario Bros. Movie for 2026 and Minions 3 for the same year. Additionally, they plan to include Barbie in their lineup, but a release date for this project has not been announced yet. Based on their previous films, the Barbie animated movie will likely feature a talented voice cast when it eventually premieres.
Barbie’s release at Warner Bros. proved exceptionally successful, generating over $1.44 billion globally. This film not only reigned supreme as the top earner of 2023 but also ranked among the most profitable films ever made. Moreover, it marked a significant milestone as the highest-grossing movie directed by a woman. Additionally, it established new records within Warner Bros. Discovery, becoming their all-time highest-earning film to date.
Currently, there’s been much speculation about a possible sequel for Barbie, given its remarkable achievement. However, at present, no concrete plans seem to be in place, and it remains uncertain if one will ever materialize. Robbie is occupied with various other projects, and Gerwig’s calendar is packed too, including the reboot of Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia series.
https://comicbook.com/movies/news/barbie-2-rumor-status-debunked-greta-gerwig-noah-baumbach/embed/#
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- ETH PREDICTION. ETH cryptocurrency
- Anime’s Greatest Summer 2024 Shonen Hit Drops New Look Ahead of Season 2
- Jeffrey Epstein’s “Client List” Doesn’t Exist, Justice Department Says
- Tokyo Game Show 2025 exhibitors list and main visual announced
- Microsoft has a new way to use AI in OneNote — but a “dumb” feature excites me more
- Bill Gates says AI will replace humans for most things — but coding will remain “a 100% human profession” centuries later
- Narcos: Mexico’s Manuel Masalva Details Being “Reborn” After Coma
- xAI’s $300/month Grok 4, billed as a “maximally truth-seeking AI” — seemingly solicits Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics
- Why Stephen Baldwin Is “Blessed” By Justin & Hailey Bieber’s Marriage
2025-07-18 00:11