Outraged Barney fans have spoken out and blasted Mattel over the purple dinosaur’s brand-new look.
Taking admirers of the beloved children’s show by surprise, Mattel announced a reboot of the Barney franchise on top of a complete CGI makeover of the dinosaur.
As the company revealed, Barney would once again appear not only in animated series and in movies but also on merchandise such as clothing, toys, and more.
Soon enough, however, the company was in for a major backlash over the dinosaur’s “unsettling” and “disturbing” new look.
“Why does Barney look like he’s sky high cracked on cocaine? That face is unsettling as h*ll,” one user wrote.
“They gave Barney contacts, a nose job and bigger veneers. Sad,” another suggested.
“Barney now looks more like a crocodile than a dinosaur. I’m definitely not a fan of this change,” a third said.
One disappointed viewer added: “I’m traumatized by that picture. What have they done? Barney was one of my favorite shows as a toddler & young primary schooler.”
The criticism comes after Mattel announced a major relaunch of the popular kids’ show that ran for 14 seasons and 268 episodes from 1992 to 2010.
“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 experiences,” Mattel’s Chief Franchise Officer, Josh Silverman, said.
Mattel Television SVP and General Manager Fred Soulie added: “In creating the new series, it was important to us that we properly reflect the world that kids today live in so that the series can deliver meaningful lessons about navigating it.
“With our modern take on Barney, we hope to inspire the next generation to listen, care, and dream big. We think that parents, many of whom will fondly remember the original Barney from their own childhoods, will love the show, too.”
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