After Ryan Gosling‘s latest film, The Fall Guy, proved to be a box-office flop, he’s now anxiously pushing Margot Robbie to reunite Ken and Barbie for more fun in the sun, sources exclusively tell Life & Style.

With the smash success of their 2023 film, for which Ryan was nominated for an Academy Award, the 43-year-old actor appears to be hoping for a sequel based on the iconic Mattel fashion doll to get greenlit at the earliest opportunity.

“It’s truly been the best of times and the worst of times for Ryan, all in the span of the last few months,” reveals an insider. “Barbie made him a permanent A-lister and exceeded all expectations, and his Oscars singing performance made him an instant Hollywood legend and won him tons of new fans.”

However, The Fall Guy had a less-than-stellar debut in its opening weekend, taking in $28.5 million domestically after it was projected to bring in between $30 and $40 million. The film, which also starred Emily Blunt, reportedly had a large budget of approximately $140 million. Barbie, however, grossed over $155 million domestically in its opening weekend, making it the biggest opening in history for a female director.

The Fall Guy bombed and Ryan dropping out of Wolf Man late last year was the end of a job that could have earned him many millions more,” the source says, also noting that an upcoming Ocean’s 11 prequel slated to star Ryan and Margot is not moving along as quickly as anticipated.

“His planned takeover of the Ocean’s Eleven franchise that his onetime mentor George Clooney once helmed has been pushed down the road to get the budget under control,” the insider explains. “It’s become increasingly clear that more Barbie is the only sure bet he’s got.”

However, it may be difficult to get Barbie and Ken back in action. “He’ll have to move heaven and earth to get a sequel or a Ken spinoff made because those movies don’t happen without Margot Robbie involved,” the source says, “and she’s committed herself to literally a dozen other projects at the moment.”

The dramatic ups and downs have been hard on the three-time Oscar nominee.

“It’s so strange that just a couple of months ago the world was Ryan’s oyster and now he’s had this splash of cold water thrown in his face,” says the source, adding that “he has no choice but to go back and play the hits!”