From the same The New Yorker feature that revealed Greta Gerwig is tackling The Chronicles of Narnia, it was explained that actor Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) is producing a new Barney movie, but it will be “surrealistic” and tackle “Millennial angst,” among other things. Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeon explained broadly what to expect, and it sounds not very Barney, comparing it to the works of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.
“Weāre leaning into the (M)illennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” McKeon said. “Itās really a play for adults. Not that itās R-rated, but itāll focus on some of the trials and tribulations of being thirtysomething, growing up with Barneyājust the level of disenchantment within the generation.” He elaborated to The New Yorker that Barney would be an “A24”-style movie, and “It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that weāre here to make art.” Although, Daniel Kaluuya himself declined to comment on the film’s development.
This surrealistic and Millennial angst-ridden Barney movie comes alongside of a broader revival of the Barney IP announced back in February, which will bring a new animated series, plus music and YouTube videos, in 2024. So it sounds like Mattel wants to create a new generation of Barney fans on the small screen while milking some more dollars out of people who watched the original show on the big screen.
Personally, having been born in 1989, I was all about Barney. I saw Barney perform at Universal Studios Florida! We were tight! And I have absolutely zero interest in seeing Barney in a film about Millennial angst. Just none. I don’t even want CG-animated Barney on TV. I just want a man in a big purple dinosaur suit to tell everyone that he loves them and to spread the message, in a very Mr. Rogers style.
