Ayo Edebiri has confirmed she is writing the Barney movie for A24 and Mattel Films, with Daniel Kaluuya producing.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Edebiri revealed that the Barney movie idea came to her during a month-long trip to Asia, which she took as a break. After coming up with the idea, she pitched it directly to Kaluuya, and they began developing it together.
Edebiri said, “When can you take a break?” And then I did. I went on a trip to Asia for a month. I felt like that girl who takes a gap year. That’s where I ended up coming up with the idea for Barney that I ended up pitching to Daniel [Kaluuya].”
Although she’s tight-lipped about the plot, the Golden Globe winner hinted that the project is evolving into something unique and unexpected.
Edebiri added, “I was just thinking of, what are the movies that I want to make? What are the things that I want to do? What are the things that make me excited? So I just had this idea, and then we started building it out together. And then it becomes what it’s going to be, which I don’t want to say too much about.”
In a statement, Mattel executive Kevin McKeon said the live-action Barney film will be adult-oriented and “surrealistic,” in the vein of films by Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.
McKeon said, “We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids.” He added, “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 thirtysomething, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”
McKeon continued, “We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids. 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 thirtysomething, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”
Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said that the film is “taking a fresh approach” to the character that will be “fun, entertaining and culturally oriented,” emphasizing it “will not be an odd movie.”
The Barney movie is expected to begin production soon, and the release date is TBA.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
