The once-beloved (and oft-hated) Barney the dinosaur is getting ready to make his triumphant return to the small screen in 2024. However, he'll be sporting a decidedly different look in his new show, and fans are not thrilled about it. Some people are even going so far as to call his makeover "horrifying," and we totally get where they're coming from.
Mattel recently announced that it's relaunching the '90s favorite
The company behind Barney is bringing the singing purple dinosaur back to the small screen — this time as an animated series, according to a press release. The revamped show is set to hit the airwaves sometime in 2024 and will once again target preschool children and teach lessons about love and kindness.
Barney got a rebrand as part of the reboot
The animated version of the iconic character had a little glow-up ahead of the show's release, and he barely resembles the friendly mascot-style dinosaur that many of us grew up with. His new look is not going over well with fans, who shared their not-so-kind takes on Twitter.
Fans have strong words about Barney's makeover
Almost everyone who took to social media to share their thoughts had something bad to say about the changes made to the character. We get that it's hard when something you grew up with is rebranded for a new generation, but some of these comments are downright hilarious.
"Barney got the buccal fat removal," one person tweeted, joking about the popular cosmetic surgery procedure.
Some people think the changes make Barney look a bit too scary
OK, Barney's new look doesn't exactly put him up there with some of the more menacing characters from Jurassic Park, but a lot of people do think that Mattel took a lovable purple dinosaur and made him a bit too lifelike.
"Barney got some plastic surgery — and it's horrifying," someone tweeted.
This goes to show that not even Barney can please everyone
But there are some who actually do like the new look. One person even pointed out that the old Barney was a bit creepy to begin with. At least with this cartoon revamp he looks a little more friendly.
We'll reserve judgment for when the series debuts next year, but for now we're loving all the hot takes on the TV icon.
