What in the Jurassic World is happening?
It seems toy company giant Mattel is bringing Barney back from extinction and his new iteration is leaving much to be desired.
Barney the Dinosaur was an anthropomorphic purple Tyrannosaurus rex character that delighted children instead of eating them.
The friendly dino appeared as a costumed character in the popular 90s live-action TV show Barney & Friends and entertained young audiences aged 2–7 through educational song and dance.
While some pre-schoolers and parents embraced the wholesome character and turned him into a pop cultural phenomenon, Barney's immense popularity also made him the target of relentless parodying–which was the subject of the 2022 Peacock documentary I Love You, You Hate Me.
Barney said goodbye when the series ended its run on November 2, 2010, after it premiered on PBS in April 1992.
But he is now poised for a comeback and a new CGI rendering of him to be featured on a new animated TV series that will also launch toys, apparel, and a new movie.
Without further ado, I give you, Barney 2.0.
\u201cMattel just announced its relaunch of the Barney franchise. Here's a new look at the purple dinosaur below https://t.co/xL0z9XELy8\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
And along with his return to the spotlight, it seems the anti-Barney movement has also been revived.
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ Barney waking up with a face transplant when all he ordered is two botox jabs:\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ Barney got the full plastic surgery package \ud83d\ude2c\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201cThank you, Mattel for giving me nightmares with this horrifying-looking #Barney.\u201d— Josh (@Josh) 1676337626
\u201cBarney went horrifying to I will murder you slowly.\u201d— Aidan Ryan (@Aidan Ryan) 1676307259
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ That\u2019s not the Barney that I know!!!!\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ That is *not* the dinosaur from our imagination.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ I hate this. Why is every reboot done in cocomelon style now? Kids today must be so soft smh\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ As a mother of 33 y/o, I'll speak for all of us: We didn't need or want him then, we certainly do not need him now.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201cman barney looks scary now\u201d— Olyx (@Olyx) 1676353224
Few, however, begged to differ.
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ No more dead eyes. That\u2019s an improvement.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ He looks super cute! I wonder what they'll be doing with him and if the rest of the cast are coming back. \n\nHopefully this show will be a little bit better on the educational side.\n\nShame that the Barney hate will *definitely* be back in full swing either way. \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1676305439
A Mattel spokesperson told CNN that there was no specific news as to whether or not the new Barney TV show would debut on PBS but said the major toy company has “confirmed streaming and broadcast partners that we’ll be announcing later in the year.”
Fred Soulie, general manager of Mattel Television, said of the rebooted franchise:
“In creating the new series, it was important to us that we properly reflect the world that kids today live in so that the series can deliver meaningful lessons about navigating it."
“With our modern take on Barney, we hope to inspire the next generation to listen, care, and dream big."
Mattel also hopes to entice Millennials who grew up with Barney & Friends to get nostalgic for the character by purchasing merchandise reflecting old-school classic Barney.
The company said in a statement:
"apparel and accessories for adult fans, featuring classic Barney, are also in development.”
Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer and global head of consumer products at Mattel stated:
“We will tap into the nostalgia of the generations who grew up with Barney, now parents themselves, and introduce the iconic purple dinosaur to a new generation of kids and families around the world across content."
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