Credit: PBSThe head of Mattel has made a promise about the upcoming Barney film reboot: there won’t be anything interesting about it.
That seems like an odd way to try to engage potential audiences with a film that has been in development for almost four years now, but apparently, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz felt otherwise when speaking about Barney in a recent interview.
Speaking with Semafor, Ynon Kreiz said of the Barney film reboot, “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. It will not be an odd movie.”
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It is difficult to tell exactly what Kreiz is trying to convey about Barney without giving any spoilers for the film, but it is telling that his words are in response to a question about Mattel’s recently globe-dominating film Barbie. Semafor pointed out, “Why was the takeaway from Barbie not ‘feminist culture is quite popular’ but rather ‘we should make a Barney biopic?'”
It has been noted (including by ourselves) that the response to the incredible critical acclaim and box office grosses of the Greta Gerwig movie by Mattel has been to expand into a cinematic universe featuring their massive array of intellectual property rather than to necessarily develop the themes of the film.
It seems likely that the Mattel CEO is trying to differentiate the upcoming Barney film reboot from Barbie, while not ruffling any feathers from both those who applauded Margot Robbie‘s pop feminist messages and those outraged by them.
The new Barney film reboot was first announced all the way back in 2019, with acclaimed actor Daniel Kaluuya attached to produce. It is currently unclear whether the Black Panther (2018) actor will also appear in the film, much as Margot Robbie was initially drawn to Barbie as a producer but ended up starring in it.
Back then, Daniel Kaluuya described (per THR) the project as “Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstoodWe’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.”
Credit: Marvel Studios
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Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner (now President of the production company) added, “Working with Daniel Kaluuya will enable us to take a completely new approach to Barney that will surprise audiences and subvert expectations… The project will speak to the nostalgia of the brand in a way that will resonate with adults, while entertaining today’s kids.”
It is clear that, on some level, Mattel hopes to achieve the mega-popular chemistry of Barbie with Barney, but isn’t willing to actually go so far as to say it’s similar in any way. Very odd marketing for a movie that is supposedly not odd.
Does the Barney film reboot sound like it will be any good? Does Mattel know what it’s doing with a cinematic universe? Give us your opinions in the comments below!