Daniel Kaluuya’s Barney Movie Is an ‘A24-Type’ Film That’s ‘Surrealistic’ and for Adults, Says Mattel Exec: ‘Not That It’s R-Rated’

Zack Sharf
·2 min read
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With Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” gearing up for box office domination this month, the movie is being eyed as a launching pad for Mattel Films. The studio has dozens of more films in the pipeline based on its toys and popular IP, including a Barney movie with Daniel Kaluuya. The “Get Out” Oscar nominee and “Us” star first attached himself to Mattel’s Barney movie in 2019, and a new profile of Mattel Films published by The New Yorker confirms the project remains in development.

Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeon told The New Yorker that the Barney movie is “surrealistic” and in the vein of films directed by Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze. Those directors are probably not the first two filmmakers one thinks of when the family-friendly Barney name comes up.

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“We’re leaning into the Millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” McKeon said. “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 30-something, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”

McKeon also described the Barney movie as an “A24-type” movie, adding, “It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that we’re here to make art.”

When the project first got announced in November 2019, Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner said that working with Kaluuya would allow the studio “to take a completely new approach to ‘Barney’ that will surprise audiences and subvert expectations.”

“Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” Kaluuya added at the time. “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.”

Updates on the project have been scarce in the years since. Kaluuya told Yahoo Entertainment earlier this year it was taking time to crack the perfect script.

“The script’s gotta be good, you know what I mean? It’s in development,” Kaluuya said. “I ask for high standards on anything that I work on, and I’m producing this one, so it’s still in development.”

Visit The New Yorker’s website to read more about Mattel Films and its upcoming development slate.

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