Barney the Dinosaur is returning with a new animated series featuring the beloved T-Rex as a CGI cartoon, and social media doesn’t know how to feel about it.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Mattel announced the reboot on Monday and said it would also be launching numerous toys and other products aimed at kids six and under. The relaunch will additionally include films and YouTube content as well as “apparel and accessories for adult fans featuring classic Barney,” which “are also in development.”
But the aspect of the relaunch that got people talking was the new CGI cartoon that would be at the center of this revamp. While the original 1992 Barney, which featured a person inside of a massive purple T-Rex costume, divided people to such an extent tha a Peacock documentary was made about it, it seems people are having similar reactions to Barney’s latest look.
“Of course they were gonna update the way how Barney looks,” wrote one person on Twitter. “Imagine if that n***a was still walking around looking like Shannon Sharpe.”
“WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY DO TO BARNEY,” another disgruntled Twitter user added, while others noted that Barney appears to have slimmed down in this new redesign.
“They gave Barney contacts, a nose job and bigger veneers. Sad,” another person wrote, while another said, “Barney got the buccal fat removal.”
The original show Barney & Friends debuted on PBS in 1992 and ran for 18 years. The series’ themes and songs made it something of a cultural touchstone for an entire generation, who also couldn’t help but ridicule the show at the same time.
“Barney’s message of love and kindness has stood the test of time,” said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer and global head of consumer products at Mattel, in a statement. “We will tap into the nostalgia of the generations who grew up with Barney, now parents themselves, and introduce the iconic purple dinosaur to a new generation of kids and families around the world across content, products, and experience.”
Check out a few of the best reactions below.
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