A RECENT discovery finds Daniel Kaluuya’s Barney film may not follow the arthouse route, despite earlier suggestions. Three months after Kevin McKeon, an executive at Mattel Films, hinted at a “surrealistic” approach to the project, the company’s CEO, Ynon Kreiz, seemed to offer a different perspective in a recent interview.
Kreiz acknowledged the strong reaction to the successful Barbie film and their plans to bring other properties like Barney, Polly Pocket, and UNO to the big screen. He stated that it is too early to provide specifics but assured that they are adopting a fresh approach that will be entertaining and culturally oriented. He emphasised that the Barney film would not be considered odd, addressing concerns raised by the interviewer.
Previously, McKeon had compared the Barney film to works by writer-directors Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, focusing on the millennial angst within the property rather than catering solely to children. He described it as a play for adults, without being R-rated, exploring the challenges of growing up with Barney and the disenchantment within that generation.
Barney originally gained fame through the PBS children’s series Barney and Friends, which ran from 1992 to 2009 and played a significant role in launching the careers of modern millennial and Gen Z stars like Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and Jaren Lewison.
McKeon had also pitched the Barney film to potential partners as an “A24-type” film. Daniel Kaluuya, who is expected to produce and star in the film through his company 59%, last spoke about the project in June, mentioning that the script was still in development.
When the film was initially announced in 2019, Kaluuya described Barney as a beloved childhood character who had faded into obscurity, leaving room for a modern exploration of his message of “I love you, you love me.”
While the initial hints suggested a surrealistic and mature take on Barney, Mattel’s CEO now emphasises a fresh and entertaining approach without categorising it as an odd film, leaving audiences curious about the direction this beloved childhood character will take on the big screen.
