
Barney and Friends ran on PBS from 1992 to 2009.
PBSDaniel Kaluuya is best known for roles in Marvel's Black Panther and horror film Get Out, but now he's turning his acting skills to TV mascot Barney, the happy purple T-rex who sang about friendship. The dino is getting own movie, according to Variety.
Most of us remember Barney from his children's TV series Barney & Friends, which ran on PBS from 1992 to 2009. If you grew up watching him, you might have fond memories of Barney dancing and singing to catchy songs about kindness and love.
If you were an adult during that time, you might have found those same Barney songs annoying because insipid lyrics like "I love you, you love me" never got out of your head. Even Kaluuya commented about Barney's polarizing effect.
If you grew up as a kid in the 1990s, you probably remember singing along to Barney's songs.
PBS"Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood," Kaluuya said in a statement. "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."
With Kaluuya on board, it's fun to speculate what the film will be about. Is it a straight-up movie starring Barney as the main character? Or will it be about the actor David Joyner who portrayed Barney on Barney & Friends, but then later ran a tantric sex business? (No really, he did.)
a Barney movie but really it's a stylized biopic of actor David Joyner, who was a software analyst at Texas Instruments in the 80s AND a 'live mannequin' in malls before auditioning for Barney pic.twitter.com/kX2iBuSeSL
— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) October 18, 2019
Right now, it's anybody's guess. But Mattel Films producer Robbie Brenner gave another clue that this won't be a typical Barney kind of movie.
"Working with Daniel Kaluuya will enable us to take a completely new approach to Barney that will surprise audiences and subvert expectations," Brenner said in a statement Friday. "The project will speak to the nostalgia of the brand in a way that will resonate with adults, while entertaining today's kids."
Some on social media wondered what the movie will end up looking like.
Netflix's Rim of the World screenwriter Zack Stentz (who is not connected to the Barney film) suggested a stylized story about the fans themselves.
"Prediction: the movie will be a Christopher Robin/gentler Drop Dead Fred-thing where the lead character is a thirties millennial embarrassed that he used to love Barney and reconnects with the big purple guy to symbolize the innocence and open-heartedness he had lost touch with," Stentz tweeted.
Prediction: the movie will be a Christopher Robin/gentler Drop Dead Fred-thing where the lead character is a 30s millennial embarrassed that he used to love Barney & reconnects with the big purple guy to symbolize the innocence & open-heartedness he had lost touch with. https://t.co/xNx1UTPx24
— Zack Stentz (@MuseZack) October 18, 2019
Then there's the suggestion Barney would make a perfect horror film like Get Out, or even a gritty reboot like Joker.
There’s a Barney movie in the works from Daniel Kaluuya. pic.twitter.com/dl5EVlezom
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) October 18, 2019
damn, the gritty barney reboot looks wild pic.twitter.com/S3RoqY3Rr8
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) October 18, 2019
INT. CLASSROOM
— kyle a.b. (@kyalbr) October 18, 2019
Barney violently enters the room by kicking the door down.
Baby Bop excitedly follows as petrified children scramble to their feet.
Barney confronts the smallest, TYLER.
BARNEY
Sing.
Tyler tries to not cry.
TYLER
I. I. I love you. You love me. https://t.co/FfPqDeeDi5 pic.twitter.com/R7ql0pyqtS
How the Barney movie will probably go: LET'S TALK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP!!!
— Let's Talk The Amazing Spider-Man #HermanGang (@TalkingSpidey) October 18, 2019
How I hope the Barney movie will go: pic.twitter.com/BWDiKwotEN
Introducing theeee Dark Knight rising...https://t.co/HhS07lpDYc
— vuja de ♐ (@BlackJesusBarbi) October 18, 2019
If Demi & Selena aren’t in Daniel Kaluuya’s just-announced BARNEY movie, we riot pic.twitter.com/ermDkRIsek
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) October 18, 2019
Barney gonna be up in them kids’ faces making them recite the alphabet like: pic.twitter.com/Y0h4BFlEu0
— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) October 18, 2019
OFICIAL habra live action de Barney. #liveaction #Barney 🦖 pic.twitter.com/vCxyZh6DRD
— Luis Ángel (@Luisnge41937279) October 18, 2019
Exclusive look at the new Barney movie pic.twitter.com/gozCYHT7wn
— Free Pulisic (@FreePulisic) October 18, 2019
No additional cast information, director choice or release date have been announced and Mattel Films did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
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