The upcoming Barney The Dinosaur live action film may be more suitable for adult audiences.
Daniel Kaluuya, who is planning to produce the project with Mattel Films, has a unique, edgier vision of the beloved children’s television icon in mind.
When first announced, the “Queen & Slim” star said he wanted to explore Barney as a “modern-day hero” who disappeared that was “misunderstood.” He also wanted to see if Barney’s message of “I love you, you love me” could “stand the test of time.”
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 31-year-old British actor – who also starred in “Get Out” – shared ideas about how his live-action Barney film would have a darker, grittier storyline.
“Barney taught us, ‘I love you, you love me. Won’t you say you love me, too?’ That’s one of the first songs I remember, and what happens when that isn’t true?” Kaluuya said.
“I thought that was really heartbreaking. I have no idea why but it feels like that makes sense,” he continued. “It feels like there’s something unexpected that can be poignant but optimistic. Especially at this time now, I think that’s really, really needed.”
Debuting in 1992 on PBS, “Barney & Friends” followed a purple Tyrannosaurus rex who taught children important life lessons about friendship. Morphing into a kid-friendly cottage industry including a theme park attraction, toys and even a video game, the Sheryl Leah-created series helped launch the careers of Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, who both appeared on the series in its seventh season.
A date for Kaluuya’s film has yet to be announced.
The Oscar and Golden Globe Award nominee will next star in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Shaka King’s anticipated biopic about Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party in the 1960s.
