Ayo Edebiri Enlisted to Write and Potentially Star in 'Barney' Movie Produced by Daniel Kaluuya

A jovial and familiar anthropomorphic purple T-rex with a relentlessly optimistic worldview is being brought to the big screen with some help from Emmy and Golden Globe-winning The Bear star Ayo Edebiri.

Nearly five years after word first broke that Get Out and Nope star Daniel Kaluuya was producing a live-action film centered on the titular character from Barney & Friends, it’s been announced that Edebiri will not only write the screenplay but is also “in talks to star” in the film soon to be brought to audiences via Mattel Films, Kaluuya’s 59% Productions, and A24.

Complex has reached out to a rep for Edebiri for comment. This story may be updated.

While additional details on the production remain scarce, Kaluuya himself has been vocal about his passion for the project. When first announcing the film back in 2019, he underscored the “misunderstood” nature of the beloved character.

“Barney was a ubiquitous figure in many of our childhoods, then he disappeared into the shadows, left misunderstood,” the Oscar-winning actor said at the time. “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.”

A release date has not been set. Edebiri’s 2025 slate includes the Sundance-premiered Opus with John Malkovich, the Luca Guadagnino-directed After the Hunt with Julia Roberts, and the fourth season of FX’s critical and commercial mega-hit The Bear. Barney, meanwhile, was in his self-described “self-care era” as of earlier this month.