Barney the Dinosaur fans left saying the same thing after release of trailer for new animated show

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Kelly Rissman

US News Reporter

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Barney the Dinosaur is back but not how many who would have grown up with the lovable purple prehistoric character would have remembered him.

The children’s TV icon has been revamped for a new animated series on HBO’s streaming service Max, titled Barney’s World and will debut on 14 October before premiering on Cartoon Network four days later.

Unlike the original live-action series, which was often filmed in a school setting, the new CGI version looks to take place primarily in a playground. Trap star Jonathan Langdon will voice Barney with Bryn McAuley, Jonathan Tan, Jayd Deroché, Diana Tsoy and Ella Paciocco also part of the cast.

However, a teaser trailer for the show has been met with anger from adults who grew up the original incarnation of Barney. Sharing a picture of the live-action version, one fan wrote: “WHAT DID THEY DO MY BOY BARNEY???”

“This is NOT Barney,” wrote another with a third adding: “Why does everything have to be animated? Old Barney looked better.”

Earlier this year, when the first images of the new Barney were released, fans reacted in horror at the dinosaur’s refreshed look: a wider grin with an added space between his front teeth, big green eyes and eye ridges that arguably give him a more realistic dinosaur face.

However, adults complaining about the new Barney might find some solace in Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya’s attempts to bring a version of Barney to the big screen, which will reportedly take “a fresh approach that will be fun, entertaining and culturally oriented.”

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The new series is being helmed by Mattell and was announced in 2023 as part of their television expansion. In a press release, the company said: “The goal of Mattel Television Studios is to develop and distribute episodic and long-form content that expands Mattel’s characters and storylines across linear and streaming platforms worldwide,” said Josh Silverman, Mattel’s chief franchise officer.

The statement adds: “Barney nurtures the power of love in all of us, and we are thrilled to bring him back to fans all around the world. We hope this modern revival leaves an impression on young audiences, imparting lessons that will positively influence them as they grow up.”

It’s the first time Barney has had his own show in 14 years, with the first becoming a gigantic success, running from 1992 until 2010 and consisting of more than 240 episodes. Barney & Friends was aired across the globe and even won a Daytime Emmy award.