Mattel executive insists “surrealistic” Barney movie is made for adults
PBSMattel executive Kevin McKeon claims the “surrealistic” Barney movie will gear toward adults instead of children.
In 2019, Mattel announced its plans to create a Barney movie with Daniel Kaluuya – the star of Get Out. The “A24-type” project would give an entirely new approach to the 1990s kids show, Barney and Friends.
Previously, the purple dinosaur received a Peacock docuseries that explored the darker side of the show. The special addressed how some viewers rejected Barney’s ideas and even sent death threats to one of the performers.
Additionally, Mattel plans to release a new animated Barney sometime in 2024. The upcoming series will follow Barney and his friends on adventures “centered on love, community, and encouragement.” In the meantime, the friendly dinosaur will take the stage in a live-action project filled with “millennial angst.”
Kaluuya’s Barney movie apparently not made for children
PBSIn an interview with The New Yorker, McKeon seemed excited about Kaluuya’s Barney film and discussed the direction they’re taking.
“We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” he said. “It’s really a play for adults. Not that it’s R-rated, but it’ll focus on some of the trials and tribulations of being thirtysomething, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”
Besides Barney, Mattel has another toy-focused film coming up with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling – Barbie. Before its release date, Vietnamese authorities banned commercial screenings of Barbie for its “offending image of the nine-dash line.”
The nine-dash line represents China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, resulting in disputes with neighboring countries. A United Nations dispute resolution ruled against the nine-dash line, but China has not recognized the decision.
Check out our article to learn more about Greta Gerwig’s Barbie before it premieres in theaters on July 21, 2023.