Someone wake up Baby Bop: “Barney” the Purple Dinosaur is getting his own movie, thanks to a collaboration between Mattel Films and Daniel Kaluuya.
The live-action project will mark the first collaboration between Mattel Films, Valparaiso Pictures and “Get Out” star Kaluuya’s 59% production company. In addition to Kaluuya, 59%’s Rowan Riley and Amandla Crichlow will also executive produce the movie, as will Valparaiso’s David Carrico, Adam Paulsen and Bobby Hoppey, and Kevin McKeon of Mattel Films.
“Working with Daniel Kaluuya will enable us to take a completely new approach to ‘Barney’ that will surprise audiences and subvert expectations,” Robbie Brenner of Mattel Films said in Friday’s announcement. “The project will speak to the nostalgia of the brand in a way that will resonate with adults, while entertaining today’s kids.”
“Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” Kaluuya said. “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.”
“Barney is a dinosaur from our imagination, and we can’t wait to get ‘I love you, you love me’ stuck in heads everywhere, yet again,” David Carrico of Valparaiso Pictures said.
TV series “Barney & Friends,” which ran for 13 seasons, premiered in 1992. The show’s theme song, which readers can remember via the video below, was permanently stuck in parents’ heads for the duration of that tenure — and probably longer. This big-screen adaptation probably won’t alleviate that.
“Barney” will join other Mattel Films projects in development, including ones based on Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, American Girl, View Master, Magic 8 Ball and Major Matt Mason.