Two years after Margot Robbie’s widely acclaimed live-action Barbie became a global hit at the box office, Mattel is reportedly in talks to produce the first-ever animated movie for the big screen. Previously, the iconic doll has appeared in 52 animated movies and streaming TV films since 2001 but has not yet been released to the big screen. As per Deadline, Mattel is joining hands with Illumination, the studio behind the Minions franchise, to produce the first-ever Barbie animated film for the theatres. However, representatives of both Mattel and Illumination have refrained from commenting on this report and have made no official statement so far. Deadline reports that the film will be released by Universal Pictures, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Illumination. No further details regarding the plot or creatives attached to the film have been revealed so far. This news came after director Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie movie, featuring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, turned out to be a massive hit. The film made historic waves at the box office, grossing over $1.3 billion at the global box office and becoming the highest-earning theatrical release of Warner Bros. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has also become the highest-grossing film helmed by a woman and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Since 1959, Barbie has held down its position as the global category leader in dolls, with more than 100 dolls sold every minute, as per Deadline. Barbie’s large scale influenced Mattel to produce more and more Barbie movies. Mattel Studios has reportedly two films slated for release in 2026 – a live-action Masters of the Universe, set to be released by Amazon MGM Studios, and a live-action Matchbox produced alongside Skydance and Apple. Chris Meledandri’s Illumination has two films up for release through Universal Pictures. A sequel to the blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which is scheduled to release on April 3, 2026, and Nintendo and Minions 3, which is set to hit the theatres on July 1, 2026.