With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, Daniel Kaluuya confirmed in an interview that he’s still making a live-action movie based on Barney. Yes, the giant purple dinosaur who introduced kids all over the world to imagination, music, and an onscreen childhood with seemingly no adult supervision.
The topic came up during the Oscar winner’s wide-ranging conversation with The Hollywood Reporter about the work he’s doing with his production company, 59% Productions. According to Kaluuya, the movie is still in its earliest stages of development, with the script currently being reworked to reflect a darker tone than the series’ kid-friendly message of “I love you, you love me/ We’re a happy family.”
“My last number of films have been so aligned to kind of what I stand for as a man,” the actor said. “But there are a whole lot of things that I do as a man. I love kids’ films. How did everyone get into films? Watching kids’ films. I don’t want to restrict myself to the limitations of what I’m perceived as.”
Kaluuya first revealed his plans for the Barney movie back in 2019, saying, “Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood. We’re excited to explore this compelling modern-day hero and see if his message of ‘I love you, you love me’ can stand the test of time.”
Up next, however, Kaluuya will headline Nope, his second horror collaboration with Get Out mastermind Jordan Peele. It’s slated to hit theaters July 22nd and also stars Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, and Barbie Ferreira.
In 2021, the British star virtually swept awards season thanks to his portrayal of murdered Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, winning an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and British Academy Film Award for the role.
