Daniel Kaluuya’s ‘Barney’ movie to have “adult themes” and be “off-kilter”
Following its record-breaking success with Barbie, global toy powerhouse Mattel has successfully navigated its way into the heart of Hollywood.
Barbie‘s overwhelming success has made it clear to Mattel now to mine their properties further. Currently, 14 Mattel IPs are in the thick of active development. Among these classic childhood staples is the big purple dinosaur Barney – with NOPE actor Daniel Kaluuya serving as producer and star.
The production has been described as a journey into the surreal, with a vibe akin to an ‘A24-type’ movie. Robbie Brenner, the Oscar-nominated producer at the helm of Mattel Films, who helped deliver the Barbie movie from development hell, shed some light on what audiences might expect.
According to Variety, Brenner says that Barney’s foray into cinema is set to be a unique interpretation. She alluded to the bizzaro narratives of Spike Jonze’s films, Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, hinting at the intriguingly unconventional direction this film could take.
Brenner stated: “Any movie that has Barney is not certainly going to be straightforward.” She dismisses the notion of a Seth MacFarlane-style comedy, confirming: “We’re not making Ted. You know what I mean?”
Brenner suggested that the movie will delve into themes of “identity and finding who you love and who feels alienated” and explore existential questions such as “What does it all mean?” The film, she revealed, will “be more adult and have adult themes — and sort of be a little bit off-kilter.”
How a purple dinosaur film can interrogate such high-brow themes remains to be seen. Judging by Barbie‘s success, however, audiences should maintain an open mind.
