Greta Gerwig is a lot of things: actress, director, writer extraordinaire, and now, also one of the 12 TIME Women of the Year. She’s been a powerhouse, so of course all the work she put into Barbie landed it at the top of box office lists, with many considering it one of the best movies of 2023. And, if that’s not enough, with the 2024 Oscar nominations out and the event right around the corner, the pink extravaganza is nominated in a number of categories including Best Picture and Best Costume Design (but not Best Director, which displeased many). Because it’s been so well-received, there have been numerous rumors about the possibilities of a Barbie sequel. Based on what Gerwig recently said, she has very specific conditions for a revisit to Barbie Land to happen.
Gerwig, whose movie legacy includes killer movies she’s both acted in and directed, didn’t mince words (but not brutally) about what she would need to make a Barbie sequel come to life. When she was asked about it while at the West Hollywood Edition for the TIME Women of the Year Gala (via Variety), she didn’t provide a precise “yes” or “no” answer, but instead described that for her artistic process to thrive, she needs to be able to explore the deep, fascinating stories that lie underneath all the pink, waiting to be unveiled.
Here’s the full lowdown of what Gerwig said:
My North Star is ‘What do I deeply love? What do I really care about? Like, ‘What’s the story underneath this story?’ And I think with Barbie, the story underneath this story was I loved Barbie. I remember going to Toys R Us and looking at Barbies and I loved their hair. And I loved everything about them and my mom was not sure about it. And I find that’s the story, that’s the generational story… I’m always trying to find those undertows.
From obscure, thought-provoking jokes like Proust Barbie to many other hilariously awkward moments, Barbie – no matter how pretty and perfect it is – isn’t the type of movie that allows viewers to just turn their brains off. Instead, its quirkiness and wit helps to start conversations in a way many other movies can’t, or just try too forcefully to do. It’s quintessential Gerwig, and her honesty is greatly appreciated: A Barbie sequel shouldn’t be a hollow shell compared to the original — it needs those in-depth stories.
Gerwig further explained her reasoning:
If I find the undertow, then we get it. If I don’t find an undertow, there’s no more.
While taking another trip down the pink brick road of Barbie land would be great, it seems that it won’t be happening any time soon. Margot Robbie, who produced the movie, even said that it wasn’t designed to have sequels. Of course, things change, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t note Ryan Gosling hilariously pitched “husky Ken” as well. But the silver lining for fans is that if a sequel eventually does happen, that means Gerwig found that undertow she’s been looking for.
You can watch Greta Gerwig’s Barbie using a Max subscription. Along with a standard version, there is also a American Sign Language version available.