Upcoming BARNEY Movie Will Be ‘A Play For Adults’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Mattel’s CEO has promised Daniel Kaluuya’s upcoming BARNEY movie “will not be odd.”
“It’s too early to be specific, but I can tell you we are taking a fresh approach that will be fun, entertaining and culturally oriented,” Ynon Kreiz, the toy company’s CEO, explained, adding, “It will not be an odd movie.”
These comments come just a few months after Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeon told The New Yorker that BARNEY will be “surrealistic.”
“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.”
Kaluuya, who is producing the upcoming movie, has also described his vision for the movie, saying, “Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he 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.”
While some are interested in seeing Mattel’s “surrealistic” take on the popular children’s character, the moviemakers should remember that Barney’s largest audience has always been families.
Excessive elements will not attract families. Instead, they should focus on Barney’s original values of love, kindness and friendship.
Movieguide® previously reported on BARNEY:
The Daniel Kaluuya-led Barney movie has lost sight of its core audience and will lean into nostalgia rather than a child audience, a recent report reveals.
Mattel is missing the mark by aiming for an adult audience rather than creating a movie for their natural child audience. While the moviemakers have said their project will still be entertaining for children, the way they talk about the movie calls that into question.
Mattel’s decision to make movies about toys and childhood characters that aren’t created for children is discouraging. It is also illogical from a business perspective as they are intentionally missing out on families, one of the largest audiences for movies. Their decision, however, is becoming more common across the industry.
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