When you think of Barney, the first thoughts likely come into your mind are: a fun-loving, educational, purple monster that was a staple for most kids growing up. So when a feature-length film chronicling the popular character was announced, many figured that it was likely a cash cow designed to market toward the new generation (Barney ended in 2009). Then Daniel Kaluuya was confirmed as a name attached to the project. Suddenly, the film became more interesting once the Oscar winner’s name was confirmed.
However, more details have been announced about the upcoming Barney film and it appears that it won’t be a simple kids bop like the original incarnation. Instead, it’ll play more to adults, according to Kevin McKeon – who is the executive of the toy brand, “We’re leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids,” McKeon told The New Yorker. “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 would go and compare the work to something similar to Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze. The latter of which notably made a version of Where the Wild Things Are in 2009. It’s an unexpected play to have the Barney movie be more of a focus on adults. The question is: does really need to be?
The Issues With Where The Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are was published by Maurice Sendak in 1963. It was about a kid named Max, who was dressed in a wolf suit. His bedroom turns into a jungle. Max leaves everything behind and sails to an island where huge monsters with claws live. Max ultimately tames the beast, who agrees that he’s the wildest of them all, and they make him their king.
Spike Jonze’s adaptation in 2009 garnered mixed results. The film is actually pretty good. Jonze does an excellent job of expanding the world, yet stays within the mythology of the original source material. The biggest criticism is due to the film being dour and depressing.
Can A Good Barney Movie Be Made For Adults
It’s not impossible for a good adult Barney movie to be made. As previously stated, Where the Things Are is a good movie. Admittedly, there’s something interesting about bringing real-world issues into the life of such a fun-loving character. However, to expand the first line of the previous paragraph, does anyone want a truly dour and depressing film regarding a happy-spirited character?
Take Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny for example. The brand wasn’t particularly marketed for kids, but the tone of the previous three films was notably cheery and upbeat. Indiana Jones himself was mainly a positive character, and more of an optimistic one during times when he was in danger.
So when James Marigold made him a sad and depressed old man who is reeling from the loss of his son, the entire landscape of the Dial of Destiny changed. Audiences simply wanted the fun-spirited man that brought joy into their lives. One of the biggest reasons it’s flopped is due to the fact that Dial of Destiny went against the character that so many grew up with.
Should Barney Be For Adults?
Simply put, Barney shouldn’t be for adults. It goes against everything the character was and brings unnecessary realism to a world that didn’t need it in the first place. People go to the theaters to escape the drudgery of our world. Barney should be that fun escape that brings back the joy kids had when the original program appeared.
It’s not impossible to have adult themes in kid’s movies. Pixar does it all the time. Toy Story, Up, Wall-E, The Incredibles, Zootopia; their entire filmography is about the studio sprinkling important themes throughout their films. Yet, they’re still fun. That should be the focus. Hopefully, Daniel Kaluuya and everyone involved never forget that.
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