The Bear's Ayo Edebiri Will Write and Potentially Star in A24's Live-Action Barney Movie

A24, Mattel Films, and Daniel Kaluuya's 59% Productions are partnering to bring Barney to life on the big screen, and they're bringing on some more talent. The trio have announced Ayo Edebiri will be writing and potentially starring in the live-action Barney film.

Edebiri, who's won numerous awards for her work on the restaruant drama The Bear, is set to write the screenplay and is in talks to star. Alongside her work on The Bear, Edebiri's also recently voiced Envy in Pixar's Inside Out 2.

Few details have been released yet as to the actual story of this Barney film, or how the purple dinosaur will translate onto the silver screen. Barney & Friends was a staple for any kid growing up in the '90s, airing for 14 seasons on PBS and embedding the "I love you, you love me" song for decades after.

Kaluuya, who's also garnered acclaim for roles in films like Get Out and Judas and the Black Messiah, implied the Barney film could get a little heartbreaking in a 2020 interview.

"Barney taught us, ‘I love you, you love me. Won’t you say you love me too?’ That’s one of the first songs I remember, and what happens when that isn’t true? I thought that was really heartbreaking," Kaluuya told EW.

Mattel's Kevin McKeon previously described Barney as an "A24-type film" — fitting — and that it's going to "really be a play for adults." Meanwhile, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said Barney would be a fresh approach, and would "not be an odd movie." Contrasting takes aside, if you're at all concerned about a potentially despair-inducing take on the purple dinosaur, rest assured that Barney's also getting a reboot that's a bit more family-friendly.

With the success of other Mattel projects like Greta Gerwig's Barbie in 2023, it's easy to see how Barney could become a similarly twisting and nuanced take on a nostalgic property. Edebiri could be an X-factor when it comes to bringing Barney and pals to life.

The project will be overseen by Kevin McKeon and Andrew Scannell from Mattel Films, with Robbie Brenner as producer. Daniel Kaluuya and Rowan Riley will also produce. Kaluuya's 59% Productions recently released The Kitchen, which the actor co-directed, co-wrote, and produced, for Netflix.

Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.