Barney for Adults
Remember Barney? The giant purple dinosaur is making a comeback but this time he's hitting the big screen. The rebooted TV show turned film is being created with its original millennial target audience in mind. In an interview with The New Yorker, Kevin McKeon, Mattel Films executive, said while the film will likely not be rated-R, its surrealist cinema approach is not intended for children.
"It would be so daring of us, and really underscore that we're here to make art," McKeon said.
He compared the film to projects directed by filmmakers Spike Jonze, who worked on projects like the Jackass franchise and F*ck, That's Delicious, and Charlie Kaufman whose notable works include Synecdoche, New York and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Barbie Controversy
Global hype around the Barbie movie continues to rise as it remains one of the most anticipated films of the year. But fans in Vietnam won't get to join in on the global watch party when the film hits theaters later this month.
Variety reported that the film has been banned before its release over a map that depicts China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The map shows a dashed line, enhancing China's stake in the region. Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the call was made by the National Film Evaluation Council.
Vietnam, among other closely neighboring countries, have disputed China's stake in the region. Barbie has become just the most recent focus of banned films and TV projects in the country after others like Madam Secretary and Unchartered have been blocked for similar reasons.
Netflix Newbies
Netflix just locked in a deal with Max that will see a crop of HBO content pop up on the streaming service.
Issa Rae's Insecure was among the first shows to be sent over with a number of others to follow. Ballers, True Blood, Band of Brothers, Six Feet Under and The Pacific are also set to stream on Netflix.
The licensing deal with Warner Bros. Discovery comes after Netflix began cracking down on password sharing last month.
