Ayo Edebiri, Emmy-winning actress from The Bear, has been tapped to write the screenplay for the upcoming live-action Barney movie, with discussions underway for her to also star in the film.
The Barney movie was first announced in 2019 as part of Mattel Films' expansion into live-action adaptations of its iconic brands, Variety reported.
The project, co-developed by A24 and Daniel Kaluuya's 59% Productions, is expected to take a fresh and unconventional approach to the beloved purple dinosaur.
Initially described as an "A24-type" project, Mattel later clarified that while the film would modernize Barney, it would remain true to its core themes.
With Edebiri now set to write the script, the project is gaining momentum. Details of the plot remain undisclosed.
While Kaluuya is leading production efforts, he will not appear in the film. Additionally, Mattel and A24 have yet to confirm additional casting or a release date, but the project aligns with Mattel's broader film ambitions following the massive success of Barbie.
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