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Following the massive success of Barbie, Mattel is now planning on unleashing a bevy of films based on some of their most iconic toys, as they currently have 14 projects in active development.
One of those projects is a Barney movie starring Academy Award winner Daniel Kaluuya that’s been described as an A24-type project.
“I don’t know that it’s necessarily going to be darker. It’s just going to be unique — more of like a ‘Being John Malkovich’ or an ‘Adaptation,’” Robbie Brenner, the producer who now runs Mattel Films, told Variety.
“Any movie that has Barney is not certainly going to be straightforward. “We’re not making ‘Ted.’ You know what I mean?” she said.
The Mattel exec says the upcoming film will be about “identity and finding who you love and who feels alienated” and “what does it all mean?” Brenner says the film will “be more adult and have adult themes — and sort of be a little bit off-kilter.”
It should come as no surprise that Mattel is moving forward with a full-blown foray into movie-making, as Barbie made an astounding $162 million domestically and $194 million internationally during its opening weekend alone.
At this time, while Kaluuya — who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Judas and the Black Messiah a few years ago — is set to star in the film, there is no director currently attached to the project.
As for Barbie, that’s currently playing in theaters around the world.
In addition to the Oscar-nominated duo of Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the film also stars Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Emma Mackey, Kingley Ben-Air, Dua Lipa, Rhea Perlman, John Cena, Michael Cera, Helen Mirren, and more.
Check out an official trailer for Barbie below.