The Bear star Ayo Edebiri will write and is in talks to star in a live-action film based on children’s TV favourite Barney, for Mattel Films, A24
The Bear star Ayo Edebiri will write and is in talks to star in a live-action film based on children’s TV favourite Barney, for Mattel Films, A24 and Daniel Kaluuya’s 59% Productions.
The film will be overseen by Kevin McKeon and Andrew Scannell for Mattel Films. Robbie Brenner will produce for Mattel Films, with A24. Kaluuya and Riley will produce for 59%.
The film will be based on children’s TV favourite Barney, the purple dinosaur star of Barney & Friends, which debuted in 1988 and ran for 14 seasons on PBS until concluding in November 2010.
The Barney film will be the latest Mattel adaptation, after worldwide hit Barbie, which grossed $1.45bn in 2023. The company also has Masters of the Universe in the works, scheduled for a 2026 delivery.
Kaluuya’s US company 59% Productions made The Kitchen, which Kaluuya co-directed, co-wrote and produced for Netflix; and Sundance 2022 selection Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Known for her Emmy-winning performance in FX series The Bear, Edebiri has had voice roles in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Inside Out 2; and screen credits in comedies Bottoms and Theater Camp.
COMMENTS