Part 2/12:
The first Barbie film was a colossal success, grossing approximately $1.4 billion worldwide. Given such overwhelming box office performance, industry insiders generally see a when, not if, question regarding a follow-up. Studios tend to double down on successful formulas, even if the core ideas might seem superficial—leading to more toy-related movies like the still-in-development Polly Pocket adaptation. However, there’s an argument that such films risk becoming formulaic or perpetuating a cycle of superficial content.