Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon is betting that the Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles still have some fight left in them. The cable channel spent $60
million to acquire the global rights to the franchise and plans to
offer a new television version of the series using computer-generated animation in 2012.The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were introduced in 1984.
Ciro Nieli, an executive producer of the new Turtles series, says that
the coming computer-animated version will be slightly different than
past incarnations. The
four turtle protagonists, who previously could only be distinguished by
the color of their masks, will each have "more individual attributes,"
Mr. Nieli says. The show will stress their martial-arts combat
abilities, he adds.The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were first launched in 1984, and have
spawned comics, toys, movies and other products. "The TMNT generation
is now of the age where they both have children to share with and look
to reconnect with their own childhood," said Joe Wos, executive
director the ToonSeum, a Pittsburgh cartoon museum.Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com's box-office division,
says that because the 2007 movie "TMNT" grossed just $54.1 million at
the domestic box office, "some of the magic" may have worn off the
franchise. However, Mr. Dergarabedian said via email that "I think a
re-booted version could still find favor with audiences given the
long-time popularity of these characters." Nickelodeon
plans to help reintroduce Turtles toys to the marketplace and Paramount
has a feature-length movie in development with filmmaker Michael Bay
("Transformers").
Can the same franchise have two successful brand revivals within the span of a decade? Tune in Fall 2012 and find out!
and Paramount has a feature-length movie in development with filmmaker Michael Bay ("Transformers").
Now with 50% more explosions.
