Last Updated on July 13, 2026 by Amber T
If you thought the increasingly violent ways kids used to sing about Barney the Dinosaur were bad, just wait until you see the new trailer for Buddy. Roadside Attractions and Saban Films released the first teaser for Casper Kelly’s new film hitting theaters this fall, and it’ll certainly make you rethink how much Bluey you’re showing your children.
Directed by Kelly from a script he co-wrote with Jamie King, Buddy stars Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt, and Clint Howard. The film’s synopsis is as follows:
In 1999, a group of amnesiac children live in the episodic world of It's Buddy!, a children's television show hosted by the tyrannical Buddy, a bright orange, humanoid unicorn with a purple heart on his chest who lives in his wacky clubhouse. When the children begin to defy their captor after one of the kids disappears, Buddy grinds his teeth and sends them on a perilous journey to the mythical Diamond City. Meanwhile, in the real world, traumatized suburban mother Grace is drawn into Buddy's abomination.
“Casper Kelly is one of the most wildly inventive and audacious filmmakers working today, and Buddy is a testament to his singular genius,” said Saban Films to Deadline when they acquired the film. “He possesses a rare aptitude for taking the wholesome nostalgia of our childhoods and flipping it into a brilliantly unhinged, laugh-out-loud nightmare. We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Roadside to bring Casper’s uniquely twisted vision to audiences nationwide.”
Buddy is executive produced by Kevin Flanigan, Dexter Braff, Roberto Linck, Nathan McAuley, Emilio Schenker, Gideon Tadmor, Adam J. Wilde, Geoff Yaw, and Ryan J. Kelly. The film is Kelly’s third feature, after directing Adult Swim Yule Log and its sequel, as well as the “Fun Size” segment of last year’s V/H/S/Halloween.
Buddy hits theaters on September 4.
