On Saturday, Viacom President & CEO Bob Bakish announced during the company’s Q2 Earnings conference call that its Nickelodeon studio has presold upcoming TV movies Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling and Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus to streaming service Netflix. The specials bring back fan-favorite Nickelodeon toons in all new adventures as part of Viacom’s push to capitalize on classic brands across its entertainment outlets.
Set after the events of Joe Murray’s hit 1993-96 series, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling brings Australian wallaby Rocko and his pals Heffer and Filburt back to Earth after being lost in space since ’96. While Heffer and Filburt embrace all the modern-day technology, social media experiences and endless food truck diversity they find on their return, Rocko has trouble accepting the 21st century and believes his nostalgia for the past can protect him from the tortures of modern life.
Written and exec produced by Murray, the one-hour movie brings back original voice stars Carlos Alazraqui (The Fairly OddParents) as Rocko, Spunky and Leon; Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Heffer Wolfe, Chuck and Really Really Big Man; Mr. Lawrence (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Filburt Turtle and Maitre D’; Charlie Adler (Blaze and the Monster Machines) as Ed Bighead, Bev Bighead, Mr. Dupette, Grandpa Wolfe and Mrs. Fathead; Linda Wallem (Nurse Jackie, executive producer) as Aunt Gretchen and Dr. Hutchinson; Jill Talley (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Nosey; and Joe Murray as Ralph. Newcomers Steve Little (Adventure Time) and Cosmo Segurson (also directing with Murray) join the cast as Cowboy and Pillow Salesman, respectively.
Based on the sci-fi comedy created by cult comics icon Jhonen Vazquez, Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus, finds stranded wannabe Irken invader Zim losing confidence in his own amazingness when he realizes the Almighty Tallest, leaders of his conquering race, have zero intention on coming to Earth. This crack in Zim’s incredible self esteem is just the opening that Dib — junior conspiracy crackpot and the alien’s human archnemesis — has been waiting for. Meanwhile, Zim’s poorly programmed robot sidekick GIR rides a tiny donkey.
Reprising their roles from the award-winning 2001-02 series are voice stars Richard Horvitz (Angry Beavers) as Zim, Rikki Simons (Mighty Magiswords) as GIR, Andy Berman (The Wonder Years) as Dib Membrane, Melissa Fahn (OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes) as Gaz Membrane, Wally Wingert (Sonic Boom) as Almighty Tallest Red, Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall) as Almighty Tallest Purple, Rodger Bumpass (SpongeBob SquarePants as Professor Membrane, Olivia d’Abo (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Tak — Zim’s Irken rival — and Paul Greenberg (Yo-kai Watch) as Zim and Dib’s classmate, Poonchy.
Static Cling and Enter the Florpus is being produced at Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank. Premiere dates have yet to be confirmed for either TV movie.
[Source: NickALive!]
