'Barney' Animated Reboot 'Barney's World' Will Give Life To Cartoonito On Max and Cartoon Network Next Year

Barney is a dinosaur that heads to animation, a reboot that might supply a revitalized sensation?

In February, it was announced that Mattel was relaunching preschool franchise juggernaut Barney the dinosaur, revamping him for modern audiences. It would start with a new CG animated TV series that would also see the brand go multiplatform with a new film and YouTube content. And of course, an array of new original music and merch including toys, books, clothing. Apparel and accessories featuring classic Barney for adult fans would also be getting a line. Tuesday saw the upcoming animated series, scheduled for a 2024 premiere, get its title and its landing spot revealed.

Warner Bros. Discovery has picked up Barney’s World for Cartoon Network’s Cartoonito preschool block and the corresponding (HBO) Max hub. The series is co-produced by Mattel Television and Nelvana. The description reads “With all the heart and comfort of the original iconic dinosaur, Barney’s World is modernized with dynamic characters and music-filled storylines that highlight themes of love, community, and encouragement. Set in a local playground, Barney is joined by dinos Billy and Baby Bop and their three kid best friends. Throughout silly and imaginative adventures together, Barney helps kids explore big preschool emotions and shows them how to love themselves and others.” Sorry BJ, and Riff for that matter, you seem to have not made the cut, say hi to Billy everyone. While hundreds of children appeared on Barney & Friends over its fourteen seasons, it seems the animated reboot will be using a smaller group of 3.

Cartoonito might seem like a surprising landing spot, but it’s really perfect. It’ll be surrounded by faces so familiar you’ll wonder how it took an extra 9 years of extreme dormancy for the franchise to return. In fact, Barney’s World follows company mate Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go as a PBS-seen franchise’s animated continuation produced by Mattel Television and Nelvana. Sesame Street continues to be a major player, and they have the animated series Mecha Builders on the block. Even Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood has spawned two spinoffs on PBS Kids in the time the Barney franchise has been dormant. Properties like Looney Tunes and Batman have entered the preschool space with Bugs Bunny Builders and Batwheels, while Star Wars and Spider-Man have over at Disney with Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Young Jedi Adventures. Meanwhile at Paramount and Nick Jr., they’ve seen a very successful Blue’s Clues revival in Blue’s Clues and You! while a Dora the Explorer reboot is still expected for this year. Surely it made all the sense for Barney to return in such environment. Both Fred Soulie, senior vice president and general manager of Mattel Television and Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Discovery Family, and Boomerang both emphasize the nostalgia factor of it all in their statements.

Speaking of preschool space, the announcement still had an element of surprise, as the Max presentation didn’t mention it at all, and the block’s linear presence massively dwarfs its original hours. The block launched in September 2021 allotted 44 hours, 8 hours on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET/PT and 2 hours on weekends from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. ET/PT. Now, it’s a 90 minute weekday block from 7:30-9 a.m. Not only that, but the Warner Bros. Discovery regime has given it content problems, by dooming Craig of the Creek spinoff Jessica’s Little Big World to a single season of half the episodes that were originally ordered, and halting development on Scooby-Doo! and the Mystery Pups in March 2023. It seems Warner Bros. Discovery would rather make acquisitions for the block like Barney’s World than put the investment into making their own shows for it.

Source: Deadline