In this age of reboots, perhaps it was inevitable: A beloved (by its target audience) and also reviled (by a sizable group outside the core demo) character getting a new look and relaunch.
All of which is to say, Barney is coming back.
Mattel announced Monday that it’s relaunching the franchise built around the purple dinosaur. The relaunch will include a preschool animated series set to debut in 2024 — Barney will no longer be portrayed by a human in a T. rex costume — and a range of consumer products aimed at the under-6 set. The relaunch will also cover possible films and YouTube content. “Apparel and accessories for adult fans, featuring classic Barney, are also in development,” Mattel notes.
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The updated Barney brand builds on the long-running Barney & Friends, which debuted nationally on PBS in 1992 and ran for 18 years, with repeats continuing for several years beyond that. The show’s simple themes and songs aimed at young children and ubiquitous marketing made it both a pop-cultural touchstone and a punching bag (as explored in a documentary titled I Love You, You Hate Me).
“Barney’s message of love and kindness has stood the test of time,” said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer and global head of consumer products at Mattel. “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, products and experience.”
Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana banner (Esme & Roy) will produce the animated series. Mattel Television’s Fred Soulie and Christopher Keenan will executive produce with Colin Bohm and Pam Westman of Nelvana.
“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,” said Soulie, senior vp and general manager of Mattel Television. “With our modern take on Barney, we hope to inspire the next generation to listen, care and dream big. We think that parents, many of whom will fondly remember the original Barney from their own childhoods, will love the show, too.”
