Ryan Gosling is set for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a galaxy far, far away next, and his momentum will carry over to behind the camera. The Barbie star is taking on producing duties for a live-action The Flintstones feature, which is still in early development at Warner Bros.
According to Deadline, plot details are being kept under wraps, but it’s said to focus on Bamm-Bamm Rubble, the son of Fred Flintstone’s friend Barney Rubble. The project marks the first live-action film adaptation since 2000’s Viva Rock Vegas, with a search for a writer currently underway. Gosling is joined by his producing partner Jessie Henderson, and it’s unclear whether the former will star in it.
Originally broadcast on ABC for six seasons, The Flintstones follows the lives of the titular Fred and Wilma Flintstone, their pet dinosaur, Dino, and their best friends Barney and Betty Rubble in a Stone Age setting. Bamm-Bamm was introduced as the latter’s adopted son and remained a toddler throughout the show’s original run, before growing into an older teenager in the series’ first spin-off, The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.
The property was the most financially successful and longest-running network animated television series for three decades, with its enduring popularity attributed to the juxtaposition of modern, everyday concerns with the Stone Age setting. Steven Spielberg served as executive producer on Universal’s 1994 live-action entry, starring John Goodman as Fred and Rick Moranis as Barney. It grossed US$340 million globally and spawned Viva Rock Vegas, which introduced a new cast.
As for Gosling, the actor will have a busy time ahead. While the sequel to Barbie is in danger of cancellation, he has been tapped to lead Star Wars: Starfighter and Marvel Studios’ Ghost Rider film, slated for theatrical release on 28 May 2027 and 28 July 2028, respectively.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
