In a year when Marvel movies are bombing, one that made a billion its first time out of the gate, and the theatrical business feels more vulnerable than ever, an outlier like “Barbie” really lifted the movie industry’s spirits this year. Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” ruled the summer of 2023 (over blockbusters like “The Flash,” “Mission Impossible 7” and “The Little Mermaid”) and, of course, merged to make the theatrical phenomenon of #BarbieHeimmer. In fact, “Barbie” grossed $1.4 billion dollars to become the highest-grossing movie of 2023, a figure that just won’t be topped this year.

Directed by Greta Gerwig, what was thrilling about “Barbie” for many was how it took an iconic toy brand and subverted it, making a big piece of summer entertaining, funny, and delightful, and imbued it without thoughtful existentialist ideas of identity, empowerment and discovering who we are.

Given the movie’s wild success, there has been talk of sequels, spin-offs, and all kinds of potential for more. But in a recent interview with the film’s star and producer, Margot Robbie, who was the one that brought the material to Gerwig in the first place, she suggests maybe a sequel is unnecessary.

“I think we put everything we had into this one,” Robbie told the Associated Press this week. “We didn’t build it to be a trilogy or something. [Director] Greta [Gerwig] put everything into this movie, so I can’t imagine what would be next.”

If this is indeed the new thinking, fans will undoubtedly be disappointed, not to mention Warner Bros. and Mattel, and one wonders if the companies would go ahead without this creative team regardless.

Robbie sang a different tune earlier this summer, telling Time magazine that sequel directions could be endless. “It could go a million different directions from this point,” she said. “But I think you fall into a bit of a trap if you try and set up a first movie whilst also planning for sequels.”

Gerwig herself seems to be moving on as she already has a “Chronicles Of Narnia” movie set up on Netflix, which is supposed to be next.

But he’s also flip-flopped, telling the New York Times around the time of release that she didn’t have ideas for more. “I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea, and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream, but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”

But in August, Gerwig told People she would be open to the idea. “There’s a tone and a humor and a joy, and obviously the world is so beautiful,” Gerwig said. “I want to go back to ‘Barbie’ Land.”

Either way, ‘Narnia’ is probably coming first, and if a “Barbie” sequel does arrive, it might not be for years later. That could be a good thing, given how we’re seeing superhero oversaturation hurt the product. Then again, waiting too long causes you to lose momentum. If I were an audience member, I’d keep an open ear to whatever Warner Bros and Mattel say because it would not surprise me if neither company wants to wait too long, no matter how Gerwig and Robbie feel about it.

Margot Robbie Doesn’t Think ‘Barbie’ Needs A Sequel: “We Put Everything Into This One”