Live-Action Barney Pic Will Be ‘For Adults,’ Says Mattel Exec: ‘We’re Here to Make Art’

Michael Ausiello

You thought the gruesome Grimace TikTok trend was dark. Wait until you get a load of the brand reboot in store for another plus-sized purple icon.

In an interview with the New Yorker, Mattel’s VP of films, Kevin McKeon, revealed that its upcoming live-action Barney movie will be aimed squarely at adults.

More from TVLine

Describing the Daniel Kaluuya-produced project as “surrealistic,” McKeon explained that the company — which is gearing up for the release of Barbie — will be “leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids. 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.”

The exec likened big-screen Barney to an “A24-type” film, adding, “It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that we’re here to make art.”

In announcing the project back in 2019, Kaluuya — best known for his onscreen work in Get Out and Black Panther — called Barney “a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods” who “disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood… We’re excited to explore this compelling modern-day hero and see if his message of ‘I love you, you love me’ can stand the test of time.”

Last February, Mattel announced plans to reboot Barney on the small screen as well via a new animated series — this one presumably aimed at the younger set.

“In creating the new series, it was important to us that we properly reflect the world that kids today live in so that the series can deliver meaningful lessons about navigating it,” said Fred Soulie, SVP and General Manager of Mattel Television, at the time. “With our modern take on Barney, we hope to inspire the next generation to listen, care, and dream big. We think that parents, many of whom will fondly remember the original Barney from their own childhoods, will love the show, too.”

Best of TVLine

Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter

Click here to read the full article.

Advertisement