Mattel boss wants a Barbie sequel, but animated film comes first

“We all want to see the Barbie sequel.”

That was the message from Robbie Brenner, President of Mattel Studios and Chief Content Officer, speaking at TIFF: The Market on 13 September. “I want to see it too. I’m sure at some point, one day, there will be one,” she added. No date. No deal. Just desire.

Brenner said timing is still an open question. Other Barbie projects are also in the works, and the studio’s attention for now is elsewhere. Mattel is making an animated Barbie film with Chris Meledandri, the animation producer behind Despicable Me and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Deadline

The comments came during the Visionaries and Dialogues talks programme, part of Toronto’s new TIFF Market. The Market is the festival’s sales and conference section, where buyers, sellers and studio executives meet alongside the screenings. Brenner appeared in the line-up alongside actor Gary Oldman and horror filmmaker Curry Barker. TIFF

Any follow-up has a large act to follow. Greta Gerwig’s live-action Barbie, released in 2023, starred Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and grossed $1.4 billion worldwide. It was produced by Mattel with Robbie and Tom Ackerley of LuckyChap and producer David Heyman. Brenner earned an Oscar nomination for producing it.

Getting there took time. Brenner said she heard 40 or 50 pitches before Gerwig raised her hand to make the film. Gerwig went on to co-write the script with Noah Baumbach for Warner Bros.

For fans, this means wait. Brenner joined Mattel in 2018 to run its film division, then led the combined Mattel Studios when the company brought its film and television units together in 2025. Reuters The studio now oversees a slate built from Mattel brands. An animated Barbie is next in that queue. A live-action sequel is wanted, but not scheduled.