Bamm-Bamm grows up in new Flintstones movie from Ryan Gosling

LOS ANGELES, August 31 - Ryan Gosling is preparing to bring the Stone Age back to life with a new live-action Flintstones movie, focusing on a different member of the Rubble family than what viewers remember from the original cartoon. Gosling, through his production company Open Invite, is partnering with Jessie Henderson for the Warner Bros. project, which is still in the early stages and in search of a screenwriter.

The film's plot remains under wraps, but it is anticipated to center around Bamm-Bamm Rubble, the son of Fred Flintstone's closest friends Barney and Betty Rubble. Fans familiar with the original series will recall Bamm-Bamm as the strong toddler who frequently shouted his signature "Bamm-Bamm!" while wielding his club. The cartoon, set in the Stone Age, originally featured Fred and Wilma Flintstone, their daughter Pebbles, pet dinosaur Dino, and their friends Barney, Betty, and Bamm-Bamm Rubble.

The live-action adaptation of the franchise was previously attempted in 1994 with Universal's The Flintstones, starring John Goodman as Fred and Rick Moranis as Barney, which grossed US$340 million worldwide. A prequel, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, followed in 2000, featuring a new cast. The upcoming movie aims to give Bamm-Bamm his own spotlight after Fox's animated sequel series Bedrock in 2021, featuring Elizabeth Banks as Pebbles, was abandoned.