Daniel Kaluuya (left) and Barney (right).Photo:Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter; Mark Perlstein/GettyDaniel Kaluuya’sBarney moviemight not be an arthouse film after all.Three months after Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeonsuggestedtoThe New Yorkerthat thein-the-works project will be “surrealistic,“Mattel’s CEO Ynon Kreiz appeared to backtrack on that idea while speaking with Semafor in a recent interview.“That one isgetting a lot of reaction,” Kreiz said, in response to a question about Mattel’s reaction to this summer’s runaway hitBarbie, which includes plans to bring feature-film versions of properties like Barney, Polly Pocket and UNO, among others, to the big screen.“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,” the CEO said, when the outlet suggested that a Barney movie “sounds weird.““It will not be an odd movie,” he added.Barney the Purple Dinosaur photographed on ‘Barney & Friends’.Chris Haston/Hit Entertainment/Courtesy Everett CollectionMcKeon, whose LinkedIn profile states he has worked as avice president of film productionat Mattel since 2018, had previously compared the Barney movie project to the films of writer-directors Charlie Kaufman (I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Synecdoche, New York) and Spike Jonze (Her,Adaptation) while speaking withThe New Yorkerover the summer.“We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” he said at the time. “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.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Barney was popularized through the PBS children’s seriesBarney & Friends, which originally ran from 1992 to 2009. Modern millenial and Gen Z stars likeDemi Lovato,Selena GomezandNever Have I Ever’sJaren Lewison found their start on the program.McKeon also toldThe New Yorkerin July that he had pitched the Barney movie to potential partners as an “A24-type” movie. Kaluuya, 34, is expected to produce the movie through his company 59% and star in an unspecified role.TheAcademy Awardwinner last commented publicly on his Barney project in June, when he told Yahoo! Entertainment that the project’s script was still in development.Daniel Kaluuya photographed at the Academy Awards in 2021.Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock"I ask for high standards on anything that I work on, and I’m producing this one, soit’s still in development,” he shared.When the film was first announced in 2019, Kaluuya described Barney as a popular childhood character who “disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” perThe Hollywood Reporter.“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,” he added at the time.
Daniel Kaluuya (left) and Barney (right).Photo:Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter; Mark Perlstein/Getty
Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter; Mark Perlstein/Getty
Daniel Kaluuya’sBarney moviemight not be an arthouse film after all.Three months after Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeonsuggestedtoThe New Yorkerthat thein-the-works project will be “surrealistic,“Mattel’s CEO Ynon Kreiz appeared to backtrack on that idea while speaking with Semafor in a recent interview.“That one isgetting a lot of reaction,” Kreiz said, in response to a question about Mattel’s reaction to this summer’s runaway hitBarbie, which includes plans to bring feature-film versions of properties like Barney, Polly Pocket and UNO, among others, to the big screen.“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,” the CEO said, when the outlet suggested that a Barney movie “sounds weird.““It will not be an odd movie,” he added.Barney the Purple Dinosaur photographed on ‘Barney & Friends’.Chris Haston/Hit Entertainment/Courtesy Everett CollectionMcKeon, whose LinkedIn profile states he has worked as avice president of film productionat Mattel since 2018, had previously compared the Barney movie project to the films of writer-directors Charlie Kaufman (I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Synecdoche, New York) and Spike Jonze (Her,Adaptation) while speaking withThe New Yorkerover the summer.“We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” he said at the time. “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.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Barney was popularized through the PBS children’s seriesBarney & Friends, which originally ran from 1992 to 2009. Modern millenial and Gen Z stars likeDemi Lovato,Selena GomezandNever Have I Ever’sJaren Lewison found their start on the program.McKeon also toldThe New Yorkerin July that he had pitched the Barney movie to potential partners as an “A24-type” movie. Kaluuya, 34, is expected to produce the movie through his company 59% and star in an unspecified role.TheAcademy Awardwinner last commented publicly on his Barney project in June, when he told Yahoo! Entertainment that the project’s script was still in development.Daniel Kaluuya photographed at the Academy Awards in 2021.Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock"I ask for high standards on anything that I work on, and I’m producing this one, soit’s still in development,” he shared.When the film was first announced in 2019, Kaluuya described Barney as a popular childhood character who “disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” perThe Hollywood Reporter.“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,” he added at the time.
Daniel Kaluuya’sBarney moviemight not be an arthouse film after all.
Three months after Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeonsuggestedtoThe New Yorkerthat thein-the-works project will be “surrealistic,“Mattel’s CEO Ynon Kreiz appeared to backtrack on that idea while speaking with Semafor in a recent interview.
“That one isgetting a lot of reaction,” Kreiz said, in response to a question about Mattel’s reaction to this summer’s runaway hitBarbie, which includes plans to bring feature-film versions of properties like Barney, Polly Pocket and UNO, among others, to the big screen.
“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,” the CEO said, when the outlet suggested that a Barney movie “sounds weird.”
“It will not be an odd movie,” he added.
Barney the Purple Dinosaur photographed on ‘Barney & Friends’.Chris Haston/Hit Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection
McKeon, whose LinkedIn profile states he has worked as avice president of film productionat Mattel since 2018, had previously compared the Barney movie project to the films of writer-directors Charlie Kaufman (I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Synecdoche, New York) and Spike Jonze (Her,Adaptation) while speaking withThe New Yorkerover the summer.
“We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” he said at the time. “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.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Barney was popularized through the PBS children’s seriesBarney & Friends, which originally ran from 1992 to 2009. Modern millenial and Gen Z stars likeDemi Lovato,Selena GomezandNever Have I Ever’sJaren Lewison found their start on the program.
McKeon also toldThe New Yorkerin July that he had pitched the Barney movie to potential partners as an “A24-type” movie. Kaluuya, 34, is expected to produce the movie through his company 59% and star in an unspecified role.
TheAcademy Awardwinner last commented publicly on his Barney project in June, when he told Yahoo! Entertainment that the project’s script was still in development.
Daniel Kaluuya photographed at the Academy Awards in 2021.Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock
“I ask for high standards on anything that I work on, and I’m producing this one, soit’s still in development,” he shared.
When the film was first announced in 2019, Kaluuya described Barney as a popular childhood character who “disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” perThe Hollywood Reporter.
“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,” he added at the time.
source: people.com
