During the 1990s and 2000s, one of the most successful children’s programs in the world was Barneya series featuring a huge purple dinosaur and a group of children that included future stars such as Selena Gomez AND Demi Lovato.
Barney was filmed between 1992 and 2010, but continued to air for several more years, as reruns. Now, more than a decade later, famed toy factory Mattel has announced it the beloved character will return to televisions and toy store shelves.
There is an important change: it will no longer be a person with a huge costume, but an animation. The eyes, for example, are much bigger.
A classic for children
The show Barneys and friends It was originally broadcast on the American public channel PBS, from 1992 to 2010, with songs and lessons for the little ones.
According to a Mattel spokesperson on CNN, it is not yet known whether the new stage will also be released on PBS, because the toy company’s alliances with television signals or digital platforms are still being confirmed, you will know in a few months .
Mattel has confirmed this the new franchise will include television, cinema, YouTube and a wide variety of merchandise, including toys, clothes and books. Mattel Studios is working on the production of the series with Nelvana, a studio that belongs to Corus Entertainment, a Canadian media company.
“When creating a new series of shows, it was important for us to reflect the world that children live in today so that we could teach lessons about how to live in it,” says general manager Fred Soulie in the Mattel Television press release.
“With our new approach to Barney,” he added, “we hope we can inspire a new generation to listen, care and dream big.”
Mattel’s television division recently bought the franchises of high monster AND Masters of the Universe, hoping to attract old fans who now have children. The bet is that they encourage their kids to watch the series and consume the merchandising.
Even for adults
The company also said the idea is to sell Barney clothing and accessories to adult fans. “We want to appeal to nostalgia and reach the new generation of children around the world”, added Josh Silverman, head of franchises and consumer products at Mattel.
In its latest earnings report, Mattel admitted it had lower-than-expected sales last Christmas, sending its shares down 10%. Its rival Hasbro also suffered the same fate. Hence the commitment to a new character in the shape of a purple dinosaur.
Source: Clarin
