Considering the success of this year’s Barbie, one has to assume that there is interest in turning the film into a franchise and making a sequel. Recent rumors have indicated that we might even get a new movie focusing on Ryan Gosling’s Ken. Gosling himself says he knows nothing about such a project, there has been no movement on a sequel. But were it to happen, he’d apparently like to play a Ken that doesn’t need to work out as much.
Speaking with People, Ryan Gosling was asked about the possibility of him reprising his role as Ken in a new Barbie movie. While Gosling made it clear nobody has talked to him about such a thing, he joked that if he were to reprise the role, he’d like to play a different Ken, not one whose job is beach, perhaps one whose job is sandwich. Gosling said…
Can it be a husky Ken? Can I play Husky Ken, like Sandwich Ken? Can I play that Ken next time?
One wonders if maybe Ryan Gosling didn’t love the workout regiment that was required to give him his Ken as if he’s considering playing “Husky Ken.” Simu Liu said Gosling worked out hard for Barbie, but that doesn't mean he enjoyed it. Honestly, there are a lot worse ideas. It could even fit with Ken’s character arc. Ken has had an epiphany regarding toxic masculinity at the end of Barbie, and certainly Ken’s idealized male body is part of that culture. So perhaps he’s let himself go, even if only a little bit, and is now more comfortable in his own body.
Barbie is in that weird space where the movie was a massive hit with fans, and at the box office, which indicates there would be interest in a sequel from WB, who would love to make another billion-dollar hit, and with fans who would like to see more, but it’s story at least appears to be largely concluded, as the Barbie ending sees Margot Robbie’s character having reached a place where she is happy. It makes a sequel perhaps a little tougher to write if nothing else.
Honestly, a Ken-focused sequel makes a lot of sense. Gosling was just as popular as Robbie in Barbie and his character potentially has places to go and more to learn. We’ll have to wait and see if anything like that comes along. While we sometimes see sequels given the green light as soon as the original becomes a clear winner, Barbie is not handling things that way.
Barbie is set to hit Max on December 15, so if there's anybody who hasn't actually seen it yet, they'll have that chance very soon. Maybe then we'll see an even bigger call for a sequel. Perhaps Husky Ken is in our future.
