'Barney's New Look Slammed by Fans Ahead of Franchise Reboot

Michael Hein

02/14/2023 11:02 am EST

Barney the dinosaur of Barney & Friends is getting a reboot, but social media has some notes on his new design. On Monday, Mattel Television announced a new series featuring Barney with a brand-new design. Commentators of all ages had a lot to say about this plan many preferred Barney's old look.

The revived Barney franchise will launch in 2024 with a mixture of TV shows, streaming content and movies, according to a report by Variety. Sources at Mattel also confirmed that accompanying merchandising campaigns are already underway, including clothing, books and more. The company is even working on apparel and accessories featuring the "classic Barney" look, which will be aimed at adult fans who grew up on the original series. That's good news, as the response to the Barney redesign was harsh on social media.

This franchise will reportedly be animated – or, at least, the character Barney will be animated. That alone has turned off many people who grew up on the live-action series featuring human actors in flamboyant costumes. Beyond that, we don't know much about the new franchise, but everything we've heard sounds like it will be similar enough to the 1990s series – albeit updated with current technology.

Still, Barney was always a figure that viewers of all ages loved to scorn, and it seems like not much has changed in that regard. Here's a look at what people on social media are saying so far.

Cosmetic Surgery

Fans joked that Barney had gotten some cosmetic surgeries to prepare for his main stage comeback.

Animation Style

Some fans were put off by the animation style, feeling that it looked too similar to other franchises children will be familiar with. For the series creators, this will undoubtedly be an advantage.

Eerie Memories

While many commenters poked fun at the new Barney design, others reminded them that Barney was always a little off-putting in the 1990s. Some even shared old photos or screenshots to show how his look had evolved over time.

'Culture War' Fatigue

Many people dreaded the idea of this new Barney franchise sparking earnest debates on social media. They did not look forward to "culture war" takes, nor media criticism.

Nothing New

While some commenters were incredulous at the idea of Barney inciting another "culture war" debate, others remembered the same thing happening two decades ago. They reminded each other that Barney had stirred up some surprising conversations even then.

Missing the Point

In predicting the "culture war" discourse to come, many people worried that the U.S. is more fractured than it has ever been. Even concepts that seemed nonpartisan and unimpeachable in the 1990s might strike a nerve in today's day and age.

Worse Reboots

Animation fans and fans of children's media assured casual viewers that there have been worse reboots in recent years. Barney, they argued, deserved this treatment more than many of the characters who had already gotten it.

Adult Reboot

Finally, some fans joked that a Barney revival should be aimed at Millenials, not children, and they recalled old reports that such a project was in the works. For now, Mattel's announcement seems to be the only legitimate one.

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