Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz has insisted the upcoming Barney movie will “not be odd”.

While speaking to Semafor, the chairman and CEO of the famed toy company responded to earlier comments made by Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeon, who claimed the upcoming Barney movie would be similar to “surrealistic” films by Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.

“That one is getting a lot of reaction,” Kreiz told the outlet. “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.”

McKeon told The New Yorker in July that the film, produced by Get Out star Kaluuya, will be “so daring” and similar to movies made by the independent movie studio A24.

“We’re leaning into the Millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids. It’s really a play for adults,” he said at the time. “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.”

The Barney movie, centred upon the purple dinosaur star of the ’90s children’s TV show Barney & Friends, was first announced in late 2019.

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

Mattel Films executives are riding high following the phenomenal success of the Barbie movie, which is currently the highest-grossing film of 2023.

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