The project for the Barney Movie was announced in November 2019. Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner stated that the Get Out Oscar nominee, Daniel Kaluuya, would allow the studio to take a new approach to the family-friendly Barney. Kevin McKeon, the executive of Mattel Films. stated to The New Yorker that the Barney movie will be “surrealistic” and like an “A24-type” movie. The Barney movie would be similar to films directed by Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.

McKeon told The New Yorker, “We’re leaning into the Millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids.” McKeon continued, “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 30-something, growing up with Barney—just the level of disenchantment within the generation.”

With McKeon going for the style of A24, he shared, “It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that we’re here to make art.” The New Yorker has confirmed that the project for the Barney movie is still in development.

Kaluuya did an interview with Yahoo Entertainment and spoke on the Barney movie’s script. Kaluuya informed, “The script’s gotta be good, you know what I mean? It’s in development.” Kaluuya continued, “I ask for high standards on anything that I work on, and I’m producing this one, so it’s still in development.”