Nickelodeon Acquires The Rights to The Original 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Series
Phil Roberts 
Cowabunga dudes! Paramount/Nickelodeon is taking us back to the sewers with the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series
Ahead of the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem later this month, Paramount/Nickelodeon has done the unthinkable. The studio has finally acquired the right to the beloved 1987 classic Fred Wolf TMNT animated series. Under the deal, Nickelodeon has acquired global rights to all 193 episodes of the hit series, which served to ignite the franchise’s worldwide domination back in 1987.
The series followed the heroes in a half-shell as they emerged from the NYC sewers for the first time. After meeting up with April O’Neill they soon encountered their arch-nemesis. An adversary that would be a weekly thorn in their side – The Shredder and his army of Foot ninjas!
NICKELODEON
The series will debut digitally later this month in the U.S., followed by a global launch on Nickelodeon branded channels and digital platforms. Meaning fans of the classic series are just weeks away from reuniting with some old friends. And this reunion is way overdue.
The news was announced during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Those lucky enough to be in attendance were treated to twenty minutes of ninja-kicking footage from the film. And by all accounts, it looks exceptional!
A GLOBAL PHENOMENON
Created by budding comic book artists Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, TMNT launched as a self-published comic book before being transformed into a hit animated series. From there, the franchise has never looked back. The series launched a new line of action figures that sparked a frenzy from kids and parents alike. Stores across the globe shipped tens of millions of units within days of launch establishing TMNT as a true pop culture phenomenon.
In the years that followed, the property has been relaunched multiple times. Following the hit 1990 live-action movie, the franchise was relaunched in 2003, 2012, and most recently in 2018. And now, Seth Rogen is about to introduce us to a new chapter in the legacy.
RELEASE
The voice cast for this latest adventure includes Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon as the Turtles. Jackie Chan joins the cast as Master Splinter with Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil, and Seth Rogen and John Cena as Bebop and Rocksteady. Rose Byrne adds her vocals to Leatherhead, while Giancarlo Esposito stars as Baxter Stockman. Ice Cube buzzes around as Superfly, while Hannibal Buress stars as Genghis Frog. And rounding out the cast are Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Learn more about the new movie here.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem kicks its way into U.K. cinemas on July 31. Subscribe to our newsletter at the top of our homepage to stay up-to-date with all the latest TMNT news from Future of the Force.
Are you excited about another adventure with those heroes in a half-shell? Or has Turtle Power run out of steam? Sound off below.
Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
