In advance of the Paramount Pictures release of the brand-new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem theatrical film, exclusively in theaters on August 2, Nickelodeon announced the acquisition of the original Fred Wolf Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series (193 x 22′ episodes, 1987-1996). The news was shared during today’s panel for the upcoming feature film at Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Under the deal, Nickelodeon has acquired global rights to the storied series, which follows the adventures of Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo as they battle Shredder, Krang and other villains and criminals. The series is slated to debut digitally later this month in the U.S., followed by Nickelodeon branded channels and digital platforms internationally.
Considered one of the most popular kids’ franchises, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. It first debuted as a successful comic-book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a live-action television series and later spawned numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse, with toys, apparel, video games, DVDs and more generating billions of dollars at retail.
Nickelodeon brought the franchise to life again in 2012 with the CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and then reimagined the Heroes in a Half-Shell with the 2D-animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2019.
This summer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon lets the cowabunga bros back out of the sewer in a new big screen adventure. The movie follows the Turtles as they set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts after years of being sheltered from the human world. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Nickelodeon Movies and award-winning Point Grey Productions’ Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver are producing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which is directed by Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Gravity Falls, Disenchantment). The film marks Nickelodeon’s first-ever CG-animated theatrical production, in partnership with Ramsey Naito and Jason McConnell, who are overseeing production for Nickelodeon. For Point Grey, Lukas Williams is co-producing and Josh Fagen is overseeing as an executive producer. Paramount Pictures will handle worldwide distribution.
