Huge News: Nickelodeon Acquires Global Rights to the TMNT [Archive]

TMNT4kids

10-21-2009, 09:02 AM

Well, not the license but the entire property...

NICKELODEON ACQUIRES GLOBAL RIGHTS TO TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Nickelodeon to Develop New CG-Animated Television Series and Paramount Pictures to Develop Feature Film of Renowned Global Property

NEW YORK—Oct. 21, 2009—Furthering its mission to provide premium content to its audiences, Nickelodeon—part of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B)—has acquired the global rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from The Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE). The acquisition provides Nickelodeon, the world’s number-one entertainment brand for kids, global intellectual property rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the hit television, film and video game property that has delighted kids around the world for the last 25 years. The aggregate purchase price for the transactions is approximately $60 million.

Nickelodeon also announced plans to develop a new CG-animated television series based on the popular superhero franchise, anticipated to premiere in 2012. Additionally, in partnership with Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, a new release of a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature film is also planned for 2012. Nickelodeon has also acquired all merchandising rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and will continue to work with its original and long-standing toy partner, Playmates Toys, which has been the creative force behind the successful TMNT master toy program over the last two decades.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shares a comedic sensibility with the Nickelodeon DNA, with added layers of action and fantasy that have kept this property an evergreen favorite with multiple generations of audiences,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. “We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to be able to focus on this property and creatively re-introduce it to a new generation of kids.”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a property that maintains a very passionate global fan base, is rich with opportunity for a tentpole movie, and is exactly the right property for us to work together with Nickelodeon,” said Adam Goodman, President, Paramount Pictures.

“Mirage has been the proud keeper of the Turtles’ brand since 1984, and in 2009 we celebrated their 25th anniversary with our legions of fans,” said Gary Richardson, CEO, Mirage Studios. “Nickelodeon is a powerhouse global brand, and we are confident that the company will be a wonderful steward for Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello and all the other TMNT characters and take them in all kinds of exciting and new creative directions.”

“We enjoyed our eight-year partnership with Mirage during which 4Kids and Mirage re-launched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise for a new generation of kids around the world,” said Alfred Kahn, Chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. “We will also work with Mirage and Viacom so that our Turtles’ licensees can be assured of a seamless transition.”

Considered one of the most popular kids’ television programs of the 1980s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. 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 four blockbuster theatrical releases. The property also has translated into a significant consumer products business—with DVDs, video games, toys and more--that has generated billions of dollars at retail.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is based on four mutant turtles--trained in the art of Ninjitsu--who battle evil from the New York sewers. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated television series--jointly produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios—will continue to air on “TheCW4Kids” Saturday morning programming block on The CW network through Aug. 31, 2010.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 30th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 15 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visithttp://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

About Mirage Studios
The Mirage Group is a group of companies, including Mirage Studios, Inc., located in Northampton, Massachusetts, that owned and managed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles property from its creation in 1984 through 2009.

About 4Kids Entertainment
Master licensing agent for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE), is a global organization devoted to the creation, development, production, broadcasting, licensing and manufacturing of children’s entertainment products, with U.S. headquarters in New York City, regional offices for its trading card business in San Diego, California, and international offices in London and Hong Kong.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current expectations concerning future results, objectives, plans and goals, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: the worsening of current economic conditions generally, and in advertising and retail markets in particular; the public acceptance of the Company’s programs, motion pictures and games on the various platforms on which they are distributed; competition for audiences and distribution; technological developments and their effect in the Company’s markets and on consumer behavior; fluctuations in the Company’s results due to the timing, mix and availability of the Company’s motion pictures and games; changes in the Federal communications laws and regulations; the impact of piracy; other domestic and global economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting the Company’s businesses generally; and other factors described in the Company’s news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document, and the Company does not have any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:06 AM

And before people start complaining about Nick, they are the ones responsibles of making one of the greatest cartoons/universes of all time.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa119/rakean/avatar.jpg

I'm confused, they acquired the entire property or just the license?
I posted my opinions on the general board thread.
http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=28730

Thanks for your time btw TMNT4Kids, if you could ever post about your experience with working on TMNT now that 4Kids doesn't have the license maybe you can share a few stories, but maybe not since you do still work for them.

JAkeBlack

10-21-2009, 09:13 AM

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2009/10/21/mtv-buy-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-heroes-in-a-half-hundred-million/

edit: nevermind, the original poster at neogaf worded his title and post as Nickelodeon BUYS TMNT as well as the article I linked, but it seems they just acquired the rights, so in this case I'm all for it, this is great news, nothing bad about it. 4Kids did a great job but I don't think they would have done anything else with the property of that type anymore and would only get more dumb down versions. Now we'll trully get a new take for the new CGi show. Funny I was going to make a thread for a new CGi tv show for a few months now but never quite posted it

Thy acquired the "Intellectual Property" rights which means they own the TMNT lock, stock, and barrel. Also note that the articles list Mirage as being around until 2009...

As I understand it, the announced/completed Tales will still be released in 2010, but then that'll be it for Mirage.

TMNT4kids

10-21-2009, 09:14 AM

I'm confused, they acquired the entire property or just the license?
I posted my opinions on the general board thread.
http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=28730

Thanks for your time btw TMNT4Kids, if you could ever post about your experience with working on TMNT now that 4Kids doesn't have the license maybe you can share a few stories, but maybe not since you do still work for them.

Sorry my mistake on the Topic heading (if a mod wants to change it that would be great). The title should simply be "Nickelodeon Aquires TMNT".

They bought the entire property from Mirage/4Kids.

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:16 AM

After reading it again this is what I understand, They didn't acquire Mirage or TMNT, Meaning Mirage still owns TMNT and it's characters but Nick owns the merchandising and branding rights.

When Disney bought Marvel it outright said they bought Marvel and all its characters which it does not mention here

TMNT4kids

10-21-2009, 09:16 AM

Yes, Nickelodeon owns it outright. Mirage and 4Kids will not be working with the TMNT property in the future.

JAkeBlack

10-21-2009, 09:17 AM

Trust me. Nick owns it all.

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:18 AM

Oh alright, it wasn't just you some links also refer to Nick getting the license while other sources actually said "bought" so I was confused.

Thanks for clearing things up.

Raph

10-21-2009, 09:20 AM

Wowow, this is some news indeed. Will these mean that Nick could release BttS and Turtles Forever on DVD. I mean is Nick also the distributor Mirage was looking for all this time??

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:24 AM

I have mixed opinions, for one we might never see a cartoon like the 2k3 show, but who knows Avatar is one of the best shows made, I prefer it over the 2k3 show. It also means we'll never see a "comic roots" adaptation. But then again, that was mostly the fans expecting something that was NEVER going to happen anyways if Mirage owned TMNT.

Anyways the only thing Nick doesn't own is the original toon since I believe Fred Wolf films does.

Sanjuro

10-21-2009, 09:26 AM

Thy acquired the "Intellectual Property" rights which means they own the TMNT lock, stock, and barrel. Also note that the articles list Mirage as being around until 2009...

As I understand it, the announced/completed Tales will still be released in 2010, but then that'll be it for Mirage.
There is always the ability to allow the Mirage comics to continue as the comic industry in the shape that it is in, is not a priority by any means for the new owners.

That being said the future state of the books aren't looking to good now regardless. The downside to a company like this owning the franchise is once the money isn't anywhere close to their liking, the TMNT are dead. With Laird he even admitted he was continuing on with the series for the fans.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 09:28 AM

Wowow, this is some news indeed. Will these mean that Nick could release BttS and Turtles Forever on DVD. I mean is Nick also the distributor Mirage was looking for all this time??

This is great news in my opinion... I wonder what this means still for some of the slated releases... I am really excited about this now...

:evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin:

edit*** I wonder if we can get the OT on Nick at Nite :-P

10-21-2009, 09:31 AM

So TMNT4Kids, does this mean we will never see a distribution deal to get Turtles Forever and the rest of the season sets out on DVD?

Or can Nick actually help you guys in getting the rest of the show and the movie on DVD?

Thanks for any insite... I honestly didn't see something like this coming.

EDIT: Actually, can you also clarify that the Turtles Forever movie will still air on TV next month?

Sanjuro

10-21-2009, 09:31 AM

This is great news in my opinion... I wonder what this means still for some of the slated releases... I am really excited about this now...

:evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin:

edit*** I wonder if we can get the OT on Nick at Nite :-P
This isn't great news at all. It will be I guess in a year or so when they potentially unroll their plan for the franchise. For fans of the comic books and fans interested in the longevity of the entire franchise this is not great news.

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:41 AM

Raph

10-21-2009, 09:44 AM

No it isnt if Mirage loses TMNT to Nick in 2012. Nick could do whatever they want, and that can turn out bad for true fans.

I love the comics and I was really happy seeying the first 4 seasons of 2K3 being so true to them, but its all a big ??? to see what Nick will do with the franchise.

It could of course turn out well, but we'll just have to see.
As long as Nick doesnt return Venus into the franchise I'm open to it before I start judging

darthsmozers

10-21-2009, 09:45 AM

Whoa!! :o

sdp

10-21-2009, 09:46 AM

Who knows maybe 4kids can no longer even air TMNT as soon as the deal is over.

IMO 4kids got the best out of this, they got 10 million just for owning the license that would have expired in 2012 anyway. And 4kids was done with the franchise pretty much already and so was playmates so they wouldn't get much from merch licensing

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 09:58 AM

I'm still in shock and reeling.
On the one hand I'm mourning the loss of the B&W comics, but on the other...I'm kind of stoked about the animation potential. I mean, Nick has always been pretty progressive about their cartoons. Ren and Stimpy, Invader Zim, Avatar...

If nothing else this totally explains why the "Turtles Forever" theater deal was tanked.

Man, I kind of want to drive out to Mirage and buy the guys a round.

Cowabunga Kiefer

10-21-2009, 10:00 AM

Roseangelo

10-21-2009, 10:01 AM

I know someone like Roseangelo will say this is the death of the franchise but they have been "hating" on pretty much whatever TMNT related is not up to their personal expectations. This deal has pros and cons and it is not the death of the franchise, in fact TMNT could be bigger than its ever been in recent years.

WTF? Don't speak for me.

I haven't figured out how I feel about this, as I see both pros and cons. But I don't expect it to be the "death of the franchise" when Nickelodeon has proven they know what they're doing time and time again.

Sanjuro

10-21-2009, 10:05 AM

Fans of the comic book aren't that many, the sales of V.4 and tales account to that, not to mention comic books is a dying medium even the big two Marvel/DC don't sell that many comics.

And no this good news in the longevity of the franchise, theres no way Viacom is going to go down, and they didn't just buy the property to sit on it. Mirage could have easily gone bankrupt while not so much for Viacom. Also we didn't know when the series would get a new tv show or anything, now we're getting one in 2012.

I know someone like Roseangelo will say this is the death of the franchise but they have been "hating" on pretty much whatever TMNT related is not up to their personal expectations. This deal has pros and cons and it is not the death of the franchise, in fact TMNT could be bigger than its ever been in recent years.

This is also good news for potential Venus fans ;)
I've already stated fans of the comic book aren't that many, but it is still a very popular medium with the remaining die-hard fanbase. The rest of that base are largely a casual nostalgic audience. They have marketed the series to the younger audience the last few years and it has worked/not worked in various ways, but ultimately not anything significant. Again I'm no fool. I'm in my twenties now and I understand 100% I'm not the target audience of the intended franchise now.

Like I said this will be great a few years down the road when the projects are out. However, not having any sort of freedoms at Mirage once this dead horse is beaten there will be nothing left. Laird would have been able to license out the series to other artists/writers/etc. on occasion and there would be some bread for the fans.

It also should be noted that MTV is NOT Disney. If Disney or the Warners ended up with the franchise at a reasonable price then this would be a much better story. MTV has no track record or the long term needs for a franchise like this in all likelihood. At least with the other two they have several outlets for the franchise even when there is no significant project available.

In the long run this is not good. At all. Period.

ajistheman

10-21-2009, 10:13 AM

wow, great news in being able to bring a new cartoon so quickly. 2012 is a good timetable to start a new cartoon series, without making it feel rushed and incomplete.
But am I reading this? Viacom is purchasing full turtles rights? so they bought them from mirage? They aren't business partners?
please answer my question if you are legally able to, tmnt4kids! (thanks if you can)

hopefully, they pick a good video game company to make some new games too. and hopefully they have rights to use characters from any universe

since I'm guessing that Mirage is sold in complete...I just wanted to say

Happy Retirement Peter Laird, thanks for co-creating one of my favorite things in life!

Powder

10-21-2009, 10:14 AM

I'm just shocked.. my initial reaction was a big grin but then my brain woke up.. too.. many... pros...cons..tooo......

Nelson

10-21-2009, 10:15 AM

What the? This is so sudden! Where does this leave Mirage? Does Nickelodeon own the comic now?

I'm confused.
This probably destroys any chance of having a more mature TMNT TV/movie incarnation.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 10:22 AM

Who knows maybe 4kids can no longer even air TMNT as soon as the deal is over.

Taken from the release...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated television series--jointly produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios—will continue to air on “TheCW4Kids” Saturday morning programming block on The CW network through Aug. 31, 2010.

-mm

Nelson

10-21-2009, 10:27 AM

I'm just shocked.. my initial reaction was a big grin but then my brain woke up.. too.. many... pros...cons..tooo......

I think we are all like that right now.

Also WTH there's more than one thread for this topic.

The Terror of Death

10-21-2009, 10:35 AM

Although I've enjoyed numerous Nickelodeon cartoons throughout the years I cant really say I love any of them, with the exception of Avatar. The new cartoon being CG instead of 2d doesn't really sit well with me either, even though I'm well aware animation quality doesn't reflect writing quality. While it may end up being a good cartoon, I seriously doubt it will blow me away like 2k3 did.

TMNT4kids

10-21-2009, 10:36 AM

Taken from the release...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated television series--jointly produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios—will continue to air on “TheCW4Kids” Saturday morning programming block on The CW network through Aug. 31, 2010.

-mm

The blog etc will continue until then as well. I will try to finish up the whole thing.

The Shelf

10-21-2009, 10:36 AM

I am both delighted and sad. On the one hand, we'll be getting another new take on the TMNT; but on the other hand, Volume 4 really probably won't get finished now. Although... Maybe Laird will actually have the time to finish it now so long as he's still allowed to.

Adam Riches

10-21-2009, 10:48 AM

I don't even know what to say right now...but I'll try and articulate my current feelings as best as possible.

Mirage has been probably the biggest single inspirational story for me as an illustrator. Like all of us, I've grown up a TMNT fan. Over the last few years though when I truly think about the significance of Peter and Kevin's success it has been so inspiring to me on a personal level. Seeing Pete post all of his various illustration work (pre-TMNT) on his blog has been really eye-opening to me, to show that he didn't just strike oil and he really busted his ass before this good fortune found him, and it's something I constantly remind myself when I don't feel like things are turning out the way I want them to.

When Pete bought Kevin out, I wasn't happy about it because it was like splitting up the dynamic-duo in my eyes. These were the combination of people that made the magic of TMNT occur and without them it would no longer thrive, but low and behold Peter did a pretty good job keeping things afloat. I'd be lying if I said I agreed with all the decisions made since 2003, but the bottom line is he kept the franchise alive that we all know and love. He was loyal to his friends/fellow Mirage employees and made this a worthwhile franchise to continue following.

...but now the sale. I can't say I'm feeling great about this at the moment. The reason being because even if you didn't always agree with the direction things went as far as toy/comic/cartoon/etc. The one positive thing you could always say was that they were still owned and maintained independently by one of the people that created them, and as such you knew the property was cared for and that the current incarnation was simply a continued labor of love for the fans sake.

It's hard for me to believe the TMNT that I've sort of always viewed as the "little engine that could", is now owned by a corporate juggernaut. There are most certainly pros and cons. Off the top of my head the biggest pro is that we will see a resurgence of some kind sooner than later, because Viacom would not have spent the money I'm sure they did, if they didn't want results, they aren't just going to sit on this.

The cons of which I'm thinking there are many more of at the moment...are that this may have likely just unemployed the Mirage staff (which personally makes me sick to my stomach, because I've really come to know and on some level become friends with them). Also I think that this will likely just be a case of obtaining a popular franchise to add to their portfolio and not necessarily loved and cared for the same way it would have been in the hands of Mirage, the only thing that will make it falsely appear as though they do is because we'll see larger results due to their financial backing that Mirage didn't possess. Lastly I don't foresee this lasting more than a few years before they take them to obscurity again as Nick properties don't tend to have more than 5 year shelf lives, unless they are crazy successful ala Spongebob.

Oh and one last thing...good bye chances at PG-13 movie, I barely knew you. This has been some 25th anniversary!

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 10:48 AM

MTV has no track record or the long term needs for a franchise like this in all likelihood. At least with the other two they have several outlets for the franchise even when there is no significant project available.

What about Spongebob? Isn't he celebrating 10 years this year? That is pretty significant for a yellow square who wears underpants on the outside of his clothes... I don't see Nick putting SB in the vault anytime soon... He is a cash cow...

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7940/welcometonicktmnt.jpg

I tried to make something quick with a couple characters from Nick I've always liked... :evilgrin::evilgrin:

-mm

edit*** sorry it was Doug's Quail Man that did the underpants outside of his clothes...

U2WaTCHer

10-21-2009, 11:02 AM

wow does that mean the new show is over :P

Does this mean mirage and laird have nothing to do with tmnt from this point on and its not like how 4kids just got to show the show but they have full creative control compared to how it is now?

rayfillet101

10-21-2009, 11:02 AM

so this means no new season. I really hope 2k3 gets a good sendoff- Blogs, stickers...cuz after august 2010-im dont with 4kids:cry:

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 11:08 AM

The only aspect of the TMNT I find endearing anymore or care about is the comics, and it sounds like those were dead anyway by the middle of next year.

Though what bothers me is that now, even if, say, Peter or guys at Mirage wanted to one day publish some random special or mini... now they have to ask a little kids company their permission.

So yes. A little bit disappointing that Peter bought out Kevin only to... sell the whole thing off to a big corporation. But we'll see what happens.

hudemx

10-21-2009, 11:12 AM

mmh one quick question:

CG animated: Does that mean its gonna be completly Computer generatat ala Beast Wars & Beast Machines or will there be still some traditional 2D animation?

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 11:20 AM

This probably destroys any chance of having a more mature TMNT TV/movie incarnation.

It doesn't destroy the chance of having a more mature TMNT TV/movie incarnation (let's face it, the last movie and most of the cartoon... that isn't very hard to do)... it just probably destroys the chance of having an actually mature TMNT TV/movie incarnation.

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 11:25 AM

Entirely random, but the official Mirage Turtle site has been changed. Blog links on the left hand side are gone, as is the "Buy Stuff" link.

I'm kind of kicking myself for not having bought the posters through Mirage that I'd wanted when I went and bought a mass of comics through them.

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 11:30 AM

TMNT4kids, who now owns the 2k3 series?

Do you think Nick will at least try to release the rest of the series on DVD?

DrSpengler

10-21-2009, 11:34 AM

I haven't read this whole thread yet, but here's what I had to say at a different board (not a TMNT board, hence the explanation of stuff you guys already know):

**

A couple things:

ONE: A possible wider distribution of the TMNT comics depending on how much control Nick has over them. You see, Mirage does not sell its comics in book stores or most major online retailers. Because they're such a small company, they can't handle the sendbacks they'd receive of unsold units. And since that's a mandatory part of doing business with stores like Borders and Barnes & Nobel, Mirage has for years opted not to bother with any of them and just make their books available through comic shops and their own online store.

This has SEVERELY limited their distribution. Did you wonder why Borders wasn't flooded with trade paperback collections of the original Mirage comics when the Imagi movie came out? Or why none of the collections of any of their recent books have made it to major retailers? Well, now you know.

So, if Nick's financial support can aid the distribution of the comics, then we might start seeing them in major retailers, which would be a GOOD thing.

TWO: As with the Disney purchase of Marvel, there's no cause yet to start freaking out that Nick's going to step in and butcher the franchise. If anything, they may enforce deeper pooling of various TMNT characters from outside the Laird/Eastman canon Mirage stories. I'd rather like to see more of those characters, like the Mutanimals, Slash and all the rest and even adaptations of Archie storylines in other mediums. If Laird can no longer act as a brick wall forbidding the use of those characters, I find that to be good news.

THREE: If there's one tragedy in this, I suppose, it's that Mirage's legacy as being one of the most successful indy comics publishers is over. I dunno if Nick now owns Mirage (they probably don't), but they now own their biggest and currently only marketed property, so they might as well. I guess it was time, anyway. Their small business status was killing the brand's availability and the stubborness of some of the old timers was really impeding progress. Still, it IS the end of an era.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 11:35 AM

Ren and Stimpy were pretty close to an adult cartoon... Powdered Toast man would fart out cinnamon goodness.. The grossness of that show made it great for mature audiences... Plus remember this is an MTV company and MTV put out The Maxx and Aeon Flux... So you never know what they got up their sleeves... The more I think about this I think this is a perfect place for TMNT...

The only disappointing thing is about the comics... I wonder what the future holds for the medium since everything else seems to have a future... Toys, Movies, cartoons, etc...

-mm

Newton Gimmick

10-21-2009, 11:47 AM

It's not a rumor -- they now own the TMNT. -- PL

Raph's Girl

10-21-2009, 11:48 AM

Buh wha?! :o

Ook Um.... does this mean that TMNT will be airing on Nicktoons now??? Cuz I don't have that channel. :ohwell:

Buffy

10-21-2009, 11:49 AM

I have no idea how to react to this news. There are pro's and con's. I just hope some form of comic will still be released in the future, it's the one thing of TMNT I collect the most.

Whitewolf89

10-21-2009, 11:52 AM

Sorry my mistake on the Topic heading (if a mod wants to change it that would be great). The title should simply be "Nickelodeon Aquires TMNT".

They bought the entire property from Mirage/4Kids.
Wait, does THIS mean that Peter no longer owns his OWN created characters?!:o What's going to happen to the comic, OR stuff on the 4kids website (like the stamps; etc.)?!

Oh the ONE hand, I'm glad that Nick is FINALLY optioning a GOOD Toon (in contast to the absolute CRAP that they GENERALLY show!), but on the OTHER hand, I'm a bitscared that they MIGHT mess it all up!

Also, will they ALSO be showing the 2K3 series, or not? I would LOVE to se them do this, as THEY might ACTUALLY have the guts to show "Isane in the Membrane", where 4Kids/FOX did not.

And what about the DVDs? Will they option THEM, and distribute them, like they do OTHER Nick shows? I hope so.

Ohhh, this is MAJOR news. I hope a LOT of good comes OUT of it.

*crosses fingers, toes, legs, and eyes that everything woks out for the good*

TMNT4kids, who now owns the 2k3 series?
As I noted in MY post, I'M VERY curious about THAT, myself!

Do you think Nick will at least try to release the rest of the series on DVD?
Oh, Lordy, I sure HOPE so!

raphdude

10-21-2009, 11:53 AM

To be honest, I am not surprised. To begin, a slight digression if you will. I've collected original TMNT art for years (since the late 80's) and met Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird on several occasions. Kevin was one who would draw free sketches of the turtles at comic conventions and would never turn a fan away, even if his hand was about to drop off, while Peter was cold and always wanted money up front. I always felt that Kevin "loved" his characters, in the same way that Walt Disney loved Mickey Mouse. I have never felt that way about Peter. Hence, I am not surprised that Peter has sold the TMNT outright to a large corporation. My gut feeling is that he has wanted this for a long time.

As far as I'm concerned, my favorite TMNT versions have always been the original toon from 1987-1996, and the original live action films (Sorry, I hated the 2007 film!) I am hopeful that we will see a toon with updated CGI technology that will being back Shredder, Krang, Rocksteady and Bebop along with all of their tongue in cheek humor. I am amazed with Nickelodeon's success with Spongebob, and know a lot of kids and adults who are hooked on him. I have no idea what the future may hold for the comics, probably not good, but as far as keeping the franchise alive with a hopefully continuous running new TV show and movies, I think the chances are better that the TMNT will be more in the public's eye with more product available instead of
always waiting for Peter's approval.

As far as I'm concerned, Peter, adieu, adios, au revoir, goo-bye!!!!!!!:D

Raph's Girl

10-21-2009, 12:00 PM

So it's the whole shebang then?! :o

So then... Happy 25th Annaversary TMNT... you've been bought out not by Disney but by Viacom!

Hmm...wonder if this means Paramount will be distributing the DVD's now....

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 12:14 PM

ONE: A possible wider distribution of the TMNT comics depending on how much control Nick has over them. You see, Mirage does not sell its comics in book stores or most major online retailers.

There was (maybe is, still) a deal with another publisher to take care of all of that, so that was a non-issue.

Archon_Turtle

10-21-2009, 12:16 PM

Roseangelo

10-21-2009, 12:19 PM

There was (maybe is, still) a deal with another publisher to take care of all of that, so that was a non-issue.

Um, since when was there such a deal?

PAAATE

10-21-2009, 12:24 PM

I'm not happy AT ALL

I never liked Nickelodeon when I was younger, and I've just kept those feelings even though I can't remember why I never liked it

God ****ing damn, I'm not positive to this, but I still hope we'll get something good out of this

But still... God mother****ing damn...

Whitewolf89

10-21-2009, 12:32 PM

So it's the whole shebang then?! :o

So then... Happy 25th Annaversary TMNT... you've been bought out not by Disney but by Viacom!
Well, there IS that. I don't even wanna KNOW what DISNEY (which IS still one of my fave companys) would have done with it!

Just curious, though: is Viacom BETTER than Disney, in THIS respect? I mean, will they do right by our Turtles? (I hope.)

Hmm...wonder if this means Paramount will be distributing the DVD's now....
IF Paramount is a GOOD distributor, then I hope so. Just have to wait ans SEE, though, I guess.

The Deadman

10-21-2009, 12:33 PM

I just think Nick is running out of ideas. Some of their shows are just one failure after another. Hopefully they don't ruin the TMNT industry as well. At least they'll get more attention from the young audience...but I hope the plot lines make sense!

Nick touching a classic already ruined it. im not looking forward to it, itll be dumbed down for the 6 and 7 year olds to watch

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 12:33 PM

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 12:35 PM

Nick touching a classic already ruined it. im not looking forward to it, itll be dumbed down for the 6 and 7 year olds to watch

Yeah...you'd think that being a fan of the original comic that I'd be used to this sort of thing.

You'd think....:dead:

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 12:35 PM

Both shocking and not so shocking news.

ONE: A possible wider distribution of the TMNT comics depending on how much control Nick has over them. You see, Mirage does not sell its comics in book stores or most major online retailers. Because they're such a small company, they can't handle the sendbacks they'd receive of unsold units. And since that's a mandatory part of doing business with stores like Borders and Barnes & Nobel, Mirage has for years opted not to bother with any of them and just make their books available through comic shops and their own online store.

This has SEVERELY limited their distribution. Did you wonder why Borders wasn't flooded with trade paperback collections of the original Mirage comics when the Imagi movie came out? Or why none of the collections of any of their recent books have made it to major retailers? Well, now you know.

So, if Nick's financial support can aid the distribution of the comics, then we might start seeing them in major retailers, which would be a GOOD thing.

Nick's distribution power will probably be evident when it come to TMNT as a kids franchise, as opposed to promoting the old Mirage comics, and make no mistake about it, Nick acquired TMNT as a potential money making kids franchise, and Nick may be the best in the business in this area. Having a cartoon ready for the next movie already shows a certain ability to produce synergy with the TMNT brand not really shown by Mirage and the various current license holders.

In terms of growth TMNT was always going to be limited by Mirage lack of structure to handle a multi-million dollar franchise. As for mature TMNT comics, only if Nick licenses to TMNT to another comic book company, which may very well happen.

TWO: As with the Disney purchase of Marvel, there's no cause yet to start freaking out that Nick's going to step in and butcher the franchise. If anything, they may enforce deeper pooling of various TMNT characters from outside the Laird/Eastman canon Mirage stories. I'd rather like to see more of those characters, like the Mutanimals, Slash and all the rest and even adaptations of Archie storylines in other mediums. If Laird can no longer act as a brick wall forbidding the use of those characters, I find that to be good news.

I believe it's a given we will see the return of characters such as Bebop, Rocksteady, Slash, and other characters proven to be popular with kids.

THREE: If there's one tragedy in this, I suppose, it's that Mirage's legacy as being one of the most successful indy comics publishers is over. I dunno if Nick now owns Mirage (they probably don't), but they now own their biggest and currently only marketed property, so they might as well. I guess it was time, anyway. Their small business status was killing the brand's availability and the stubborness of some of the old timers was really impeding progress. Still, it IS the end of an era.

Mirage's Legacy and the impact they had of the comic book market in general will not disappear, Mirage themselves has hardly every been a true company,
just PL and a few of his friends, I do wonder what will happen to guys like Dan Berger, Steve Murphy, Lawson and Talbot, hopefully, they will get a cut of the buyout money.

Fans of the comic book aren't that many, the sales of V.4 and tales account to that, not to mention comic books is a dying medium even the big two Marvel/DC don't sell that many comics.

And no this good news in the longevity of the franchise, theres no way Viacom is going to go down, and they didn't just buy the property to sit on it. Mirage could have easily gone bankrupt while not so much for Viacom. Also we didn't know when the series would get a new tv show or anything, now we're getting one in 2012.

Personally, I don't believe the comics were put in a position to succeed, and as for the longevity of the franchise, this is the downside of having the TMNT run by a big corporation, the TMNT are not the main priority of Nick/Viacom, it's their newest shiny toy, if the TMNT franchise doesn't perform up to their expectations, Nick/Viacom would have no problem mothballing them. At least with Mirage, you knew everything revolved around the turtles.

Um, since when was there such a deal?

There was a deal in the works during the year, but according to Dan Berger, that deal fell through.

Dinny

10-21-2009, 12:36 PM

My main concern is that this could mean that TMNT is done forever in a few years. At least with Mirage if a new iteration of the turtles was released and it then flopped, there would still be some security. Mirage would never scrap TMNT just because it wasn't making enough money, but Nickelodeon has now reason to hang on to the franchise if their new series starts losing money...

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 12:40 PM

Mirage would never scrap TMNT just because it wasn't making enough money, but Nickelodeon has no reason to hang on to the franchise if their new series starts losing money...

Exactly. And you see, the same fallacy applies to people wanting Marvel or DC to take over the TMNT comics... it's well and good on paper, but Marvel and DC have zero tolerance for low sales. Zero tolerance. At the first sign of a TMNT comic dropping beneath 15,000 copies (and the current comic sells in the 3000s) it would be cancelled, and you'd never hear about it ever again.

Vegita-San

10-21-2009, 12:41 PM

From Toonzone (http://news.toonzone.net/articles/31520/nick-acquires-rights-for-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-new-tv-series-and-movie):

Full article and press release on the site.

Holy Shitsu...

I havn't been keeping up with nick...is this good news? Bad news? Should we be REALLY Worried?

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 12:42 PM

I havn't been keeping up with nick...is this good news? Bad news? Should we be REALLY Worried?

It's fantastic news if you're a fan of the children's cartoons.

DrSpengler

10-21-2009, 12:54 PM

It's fantastic news if you're a fan of the children's cartoons.

Well, I suppose it depends on if, during the agreement, Laird made provisions to protect the integrity of the franchise's roots as an adult comic.

Meaning that despite the franchise's kid appeal and Nick's reputation within that market, that various TMNT media, be it comics or what have you, could still be permitted to portray the characters in their original adult-oriented tone.

Orrrrrr Viacom could have just thrown so much money at Laird that he just said "Take it! It's your's!" and ran to the Bahamas.

But I'll give Laird enough credit to believe he wouldn't do that and at least made SOME provisions protecting the future of mature TMNT literature.

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 12:54 PM

It's fantastic news if you're a fan of the children's cartoons.

Does this affect the new live-action movie?

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 12:58 PM

Does this affect the new live-action movie?

Doubtful, as it sounds like a deal was already signed and in place by the time Nickelodeon/Viacom entered the equation. They'd just inherit whatever the deal was.

Depending on what phase the deal was at, Nickelodeon/Viacom may not even have the power to veto whatever is being made.

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 12:58 PM

Does this affect the new live-action movie?

It affects everything TMNT related, including the movie, as it seems Mirage has no say to the content of the movie unless asked.

1984

10-21-2009, 01:03 PM

Excited to see what changes. This is not the end of the (Turtle) world.

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 01:07 PM

Will the 2k3 series ever be released properly on DVD?

TMNTandYuGiOhDVDfan

10-21-2009, 01:08 PM

And does this also mean that Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's will be with paramount for the DVD Distribution Deal?

hudemx

10-21-2009, 01:10 PM

And does this also mean that Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's will be with paramount for the DVD Distribution Deal?

NO! Its just TMNT related!

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 01:10 PM

Excited to see what changes. This is not the end of the (Turtle) world.

No of course not.
It's just the end of the line for all the people who helped make these characters worth their 60 Mill payout.

Roseangelo

10-21-2009, 01:14 PM

No of course not.
It's just the end of the line for all the people who helped make these characters worth their 60 Mill payout.

But is anyone other than Laird benefiting from that $60 million? :ohwell:

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 01:21 PM

But is anyone other than Laird benefiting from that $60 million? :ohwell:

I honestly have no way of knowing either way, but seeing as today doesn't seem to be all that high on the optimism scale, I'm going to say: Doubtful until proven otherwise.

I just don't understand why the sale at all. If Laird wanted out, why didn't he just...pass the reins off to someone else? And what was the point of buying out Eastman's stake if all he was going to do was sell it again?

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 01:27 PM

It affects everything TMNT related, including the movie, as it seems Mirage has no say to the content of the movie unless asked.

Which really speaks volumes as to the phase the deal is in. Once a script is approved (and it may already have been approved) and a deal in place, not Peter or Gary or Nickelodeon could say anything to change things -- it doesn't matter who is holding the rights, a deal is a deal.

Shred Head

10-21-2009, 01:31 PM

Wow this is a shock I mean I always knew it would be sold to a big corpartion one day but I thought we had a while still to go. Well as a kids franchise this is good news I guess. Nick can get the Turtles out there more then Mirage or 4Kids ever could. I just hope they maintane good quality. I'm not all that worried that it will be dumb down Avatar and Wolverine and the X-Men prove that there willing to show strong content on there kids shows.

Although I got a feeling the comics are dead although what it seemed the Mirage comics already were going to die anyway. I atleast had hopes of collections coming out of the old stuff from Mirage and Archie now they will probraly just be forgotten. I hope I'm wrong I really do.

Roseangelo

10-21-2009, 01:32 PM

Which really speaks volumes as to the phase the deal is in. Once a script is approved (and it may already have been approved) and a deal in place, not Peter or Gary or Nickelodeon could say anything to change things -- it doesn't matter who is holding the rights, a deal is a deal.

AFAIK no script had been approved yet. And if Paramount, a Viacom company like Nick, is now on board as the distributor, I'd say they [Nick] very much have a say in how the movie is executed.

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 01:33 PM

Really, the first thing I thought of when I heard this news was how the Mirage comics are over.

I guess any hope of seeing the TMNT be a popular comic book series is now done.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 01:35 PM

Didn't see this mentioned yet... Sorry if it has... If anyone is interested Peter Laird is taking questions on his blog today... He has responded to a couple...

http://plairdblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/ask-pl-4.html

-mm

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 01:36 PM

AFAIK no script had been approved yet.

Oh. Well if that's the case then the movie is very much still wet puddy in Nickelodeon's hands... to be molded in any way they see fit.

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 01:44 PM

Really, the first thing I thought of when I heard this news was how the Mirage comics are over.

I guess any hope of seeing the TMNT be a popular comic book series is now done.

It's possible Nick/Viacom can license the turtles out to another comic book publisher, especially as a way to promote the next movie, but what shape the comic book series takes is anyones guess.

Oh. Well if that's the case then the movie is very much still wet puddy in Nickelodeon's hands... to be molded in any way they see fit.

There does probably exist a early script as, Tristan has commented about it, and John Fusco did meet with Peter a few months ago, but Peter's comment on his blog would suggest it wasn't anything set in stone.

"anything new you can tell us about the upcoming movie? :D"

Sorry, no. Except that I will have nothing to do with it, unless they ask for my input. -- PL"

Blade Raider

10-21-2009, 02:09 PM

The franchise has been in the crappier ever since '07 (give or take), so I'm not surpised the Turtles have been sold. I just wish a better company bought them.

Pros:
1) Bebop, Rocksteady, Krang, and all the mutants everyone has been wanting to come back for years finally has a good chance of return. If not, then they shouldn't even bother.
2) It shouldn't be the same story that's been told half a dozen times now. Fresh and new sound really good right now.
3) One man no longer fully controls the property (a problem that's become bigger the last few years). See 1.
4) The toy license will probably given to Mattel, who could do better than Playmates.
5) Paramount might make a good movie. PG-13 is still the best way to go. Worked for Transformers (R rated movie in disguise), GI Joe (PG movie in disguise), etc.

Cons:
1) It's Nickelodeon...I ****ing hate Nickelodeon. It's very much the wrong place for TMNT.
2) CGI show, why does everything have to be CGI these days?! (but that's just me and really won't hinder my enjoyment, just an annoyance)
3) The toy license will probably given to Mattel, who could do worse than Playmates. Also, there's a greater chance more NECA figures will never get made.
4) The DVD releases of the remaining 4Kids series might never see the light of day. X_X
5) The movie could turn into a movie aimed at kids younger than even TMNT III and the CGI film. PG-13 is still the best way to go.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 02:19 PM

I'm just plain scared... I mean, this is a HUGE change.

Oh. Well if that's the case then the movie is very much still wet puddy in Nickelodeon's hands... to be molded in any way they see fit.

And Pete's blog says that he has no involvement with the new movie.

Kendamu

10-21-2009, 02:33 PM

Wow. I'm shocked. I guess the comics will be done soon. I hope the cartoon and movie are great, though. Too early to tell. Nick's very back-and-forth about what I like and don't like from them nowadays.

I'll keep my chin up, though. My only regret is that I'll likely never see a CaW TPB.

I wonder if Kevin was approached about buying back the TMNT before Peter sold to Nick.

Hero

10-21-2009, 02:35 PM

You never know, if Nick had'nt have stepped in, Disney could have added another trophey to thier collection of licenses.

===HERO

odupianist

10-21-2009, 02:42 PM

I, like many others, am quite confused, baffled, and surprised. This does explain the website changes and other minor things. (Just when I was getting ready to buy a few books that I was missing from Mirage too). I liked Nick in the 90's: Doug, Rocko, etc. Looking back at Rocko, it actually had some underlying adult tones. I doubt they'll do that with TMNT. I really hope they don't make the turtles a kiddy product, and they make it a nice mix for both adults and kids. I guess time will have to tell. I do not know if this is good or bad yet.

I'm disappointed about the comics. I know they were ending already, but still. I feel bad for the Mirage staff. I hope they get a damn good severance package.

As for the TV and movie stuff, I hope they stick with the live action movie like they planned with CG heads and the like. As for TV show, I wonder if it'll be like the CGI proposed TMNT show back from 2000 or so. I hope we do get the rest of the 2k3 season sets and BttS DVDs.

In an article I read on IGN, it said Nick was sticking with Playmates.

Random thought (hopefully to put a smile on faces): Does this mean Mirage is going to have a giant garage sale at their studio? If so, road trip anyone? :D

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 02:45 PM

I
Random thought (hopefully to put a smile on faces): Does this mean Mirage is going to have a giant garage sale at their studio? If so, road trip anyone? :D

Oh yeah, that thought has crossed my mind many times, especially seeing as I'm only about two hours outside of NoHo as it is.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 02:50 PM

Interesting quote

Alfred Kahn, Chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. “We will also work with Mirage and Viacom so that our Turtles’ licensees can be assured of a seamless transition.”

Cure

10-21-2009, 02:51 PM

Anyone who says Nick isn't the right place for this is f*cking retarded. Nick has had some of the best animated shows ever, including Avatar.

I'm hella excited for this.

Aneras713

10-21-2009, 02:54 PM

:teek:*rubs eyes and reads again*:teek:....*realizes it's not a joke*.............

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHH!
*dies in terror*:tdead:

(Seriously though, I like some of the stuff on Nick and all, but the idea of them handling my favorite heros of all time....yeah....the scene above kind explains it.)

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 02:55 PM

Oh, it's great news... for the cartoon.

Kendamu

10-21-2009, 02:55 PM

Could go either way. If it turns out bad, I have 25 years of good stuff to look back on.

Brodie

10-21-2009, 02:56 PM

See, I don't see it as much of a problem...considering nothing was going to be happening with TMNT until the movie hit anyway. We got lame games, and hints at playmates toys. No cartoon stuff, no real news on the Turtles Forever... If Nick has it, they'll do SOMETHING.

Then we'll all have something to complain about again, rather than complaining about the lack of things to complain about.

Nick can't do anything worse to TMNT than Laird has been doing for the passed 2 years or so.

Edit: Also, curious about thoughts from people in terms of DVDs...Nick has a history of starting DVD sales then nixing them (Pete and Pete, Clarissa, etc), only consistently releasing Spongebob and Avatar... Turtles have issues already getting discs out...

Does this effect the OT releases?

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 02:56 PM

I just don't understand why the sale at all. If Laird wanted out, why didn't he just...pass the reins off to someone else? And what was the point of buying out Eastman's stake if all he was going to do was sell it again?

Who would he pass the reins off to? Was anyone Mirage really that interested in taking over the franchise?

And maybe Peter bought out Eastman to make the deal with Nick/Viacom go smoother.

2) It shouldn't be the same story that's been told half a dozen times now. Fresh and new sound really good right now.

We might get a show based on the music turtles, when dealing with a big corporation you never know.

Canadian Turtle

10-21-2009, 03:03 PM

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 03:06 PM

From Steve Murphy:
I’ll help with “the transition” to Nick, wrap up any loose ends here at Mirage, move all of our archived product off-site, empty the front offices, then join the great unwashed. Everyone will be leaving here at some point during the next 2-5 months, by my reckoning, although the artists can maintain their personal office space in the “studio” side of the building (since Pete owns the building).

Wait, so Nick is moving into the old building... or what?

And does this also mean that Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's will be with paramount for the DVD Distribution Deal?

Shut the hell up!

But is anyone other than Laird benefiting from that $60 million? :ohwell:

Gary.

Anyone who says Nick isn't the right place for this is f*cking retarded.

It's great for a show/movie, I'm just really upset about the comics...

We might get a show based on the music turtles, when dealing with a big corporation you never know.

Oh c'mon dude, have you actually watched the current Nicktoons? They aren't that bad.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 03:07 PM

I think this is a very positive move. There are many things coming down the pipe! This is going to bring all new directions and flexibility to the product. IF you were to ask me, I would say "hold on! this should be pretty good!" But thats just me...

I have to agree with you... Just curious, will there be some new footage, interviews since this has came to light for the documentary? I would be very interested in hearing that...

-mm

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 03:07 PM

Nick can't do anything worse to TMNT than Laird has been doing for the passed 2 years or so.

This.

I'm happy about this. This is the change the franchise needs. Spare me the "BUT IT FO WIDDLE KIDS! I NOT A KID!" babble.

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 03:08 PM

In an article I read on IGN, it said Nick was sticking with Playmates.

For now at least.

Edit: Also, curious about thoughts from people in terms of DVDs...Nick has a history of starting DVD sales then nixing them (Pete and Pete, Clarissa, etc), only consistently releasing Spongebob and Avatar... Turtles have issues already getting discs out...

Does this effect the OT releases?

The OT is owned by Fred Wolf so I don't believe this will have any effect, unless Nick/Viacom go after the rights to the OT.

rayfillet101

10-21-2009, 03:11 PM

Nick also has wolverine and the x-men, which is one of the best superhero cartoons around...

Aneras713

10-21-2009, 03:14 PM

First of all, sorry about my last post. I was in a state of shock and I'm still in a state of shock.

Second of all,

Oh c'mon dude, have you actually watched the current Nicktoons? They aren't that bad.

Yes, but some are. This is why I don't watch Nick that much anymore. I won't judge the New new cartoon until I see it, but I am still, will probably always be, mildly horrified (UNDERSTATMENT ALERT!).

EDIT:Nick also has wolverine and the x-men, which is one of the best superhero cartoons around...

...You do have a point and I have loved the other superhero stuff Nick has come out with, but there's also other shows (I'm not going to mention them (the really weird messed up ones))that honestly make me wish shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Gargoyles were still on the air/ at a time when we can actually watch them. (Gargoyles is on at 4 am)

Guitar_Raph

10-21-2009, 03:16 PM

Interesting Nick got the TMNT rights. The same year the Olympics are in London will be TMNT on Nickelodeon.

Wonder if Wayne Grayson will get his job back? No one can voice Mikey like him!

Hero

10-21-2009, 03:17 PM

Thinking more about it, I am happy the TMNT are garaunteed a future.

===HERO

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 03:21 PM

Thinking more about it, I am happy the TMNT are garaunteed a future.

===HERO

You don't know how Nick works, do you? If the new show bombs, Nick will sweep TMNT under the carpet and never let it see the light of day again. Nick very rarely sells properties.

This is terrible news. Mirage most likely will no longer exist by next year and Turtles is at the mercy of kids ratings now.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 03:22 PM

Interesting Nick got the TMNT rights. The same year the Olympics are in London will be TMNT on Nickelodeon.

What the f*ck?

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 03:22 PM

Thinking more about it, I am happy the TMNT are garaunteed a future.

That's a bit of a sham, though, isn't it? I mean, (and I'm not saying that's what we're looking at here) what if tomorrow it was revealed that Nickelodeon was turning TMNT into a J-Pop cartoon where the TMNT fight the evil Minuet Man in a series of harmonica concerts. Instead of weapons, they use magical musical notes that come out of their harmonicas... would you truly still be happy that the TMNT has such a future?

Sometimes it's better for things to die gracefully than continue on as something they're not.

You know the zombie movies, where the loved one comes back to life as a zombie and their still-alive loved one wants to believe the zombie is still who they were in life despite everyone around them telling them to put a bullet in the zombie's head? It's like that.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 03:25 PM

Yes, but some are.

While I hate their live-action shows (iCarly, Drake/Josh) to hell and back, NONE of their animated shows are as stupid as a "music Turtles" show would be.

Roseangelo

10-21-2009, 03:26 PM

You know the zombie movies, where the loved one comes back to life as a zombie and their still-alive loved one wants to believe the zombie is still who they were in life despite everyone around them telling them to put a bullet in the zombie's head? It's like that.

Yeah, but that doesn't pay $60 million.

Guitar_Raph

10-21-2009, 03:29 PM

What the f*ck?

Do the calendar math. TMNT on Nickelodeon, slated to happen in 2012 is the same year as the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 03:29 PM

Gotcha... but who cares and what's the relation?

PAAATE

10-21-2009, 03:32 PM

Gotcha... but who cares and what's the relation?

Don't you see? It's all part of a big conspiracy that... really doesn't make any sense... and... that no one cares about...

BUT STILL!

Also, someone, give me a drink, a hug and a punching bag

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 03:35 PM

Don't you see? It's all part of a big conspiracy that... really doesn't make any sense... and... that no one cares about...

BUT STILL!

Also, someone, give me a drink, a hug and a punching bag

Well you know they say that the Mayan calendar runs out in December of 2012...

CUE THE DRAMATIC MUSIC!

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 03:37 PM

Yo, leave Guitar Raph alone.

PAAATE

10-21-2009, 03:38 PM

Well you know they say that the Mayan calendar runs out in December of 2012...

CUE THE DRAMATIC MUSIC!

So THAT'S what the mayans meant!

That.. London will host the olympics and TMNT will get a fourth tv-show? And there's some kind of connection that, as far as we know, only one person knows about?

Those mayans sure knew their stuff

GreasyBoi

10-21-2009, 03:38 PM

Wait... a new film in 2012? Does this mean that the one in 2011 will be scrapped?

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 03:39 PM

Drake and Josh is hilarious.

Peanut

10-21-2009, 03:39 PM

Gotcha... but who cares and what's the relation?

He was just mentioning it, douche. Shut up and leave him alone. PAAATE, you can do the same.

On topic, I don't really see this as bad news. If anything, Nick is going to bring it back to the OT style of show, which I enjoy a lot more than the "more serious" version of the Turtles we've been getting for the last several years.

I really feel like TMNT only works two ways, completely goofy, or dead serious. And seeing as there will never be any "dead serious" takes on the TMNT on TV or in a movie, I don't mind them bring the show back to what made the franchise successful in the first place.

If anything, I'm excited to see if Nick delves into the large pile of characters that have been ignored over the last decade. Kinda disappointed to hear that the show is going to be CG over traditional animation, which I think Nick is awesome at, but if it's highly stylized, and we get OT characters, I'll be happy.

Aneras713

10-21-2009, 03:40 PM

While I hate their live-action shows (iCarly, Drake/Josh) to hell and back, NONE of their animated shows are as stupid as a "music Turtles" show would be.

Sorry, in my horror in think I got Nick mixed up with cartoon network, though Ren and Stimpy I'll never understand why people liked it so much. There are good shows on Nick these days, but I'm still shocked that TMNT is gonna be on it.

....um...This is the part where you call me a *bleep*ing moron.

triplexxx

10-21-2009, 03:40 PM

Well I never really liked much of anything on Nick, but this could likely be a first.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 03:41 PM

Drake and Josh is hilarious.

Yeah...

....um...This is the part where you call me a *bleep*ing moron.

Nah, if you aint watched either in a while it's understandable.

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 03:42 PM

Oh c'mon dude, have you actually watched the current Nicktoons? They aren't that bad.

I like some Nick cartoons, such as Avatar, but the point is with a big corporation, you never know who is pulling the creative strings, the people who brought out shows like Avatar can be replaced tomorrow, and if their research shows music turtles can make money, then you'll get a show about music turtles, it wasn't to long ago where a proposed reboot of the Thundercats had them as kids in a rock band.

CyberCubed

10-21-2009, 03:44 PM

Why do you guys keep bringing up music Turtles? For god sakes they're not going to change TMNT from an action/super hero series to a friggin musical.

PAAATE

10-21-2009, 03:46 PM

Why do you guys keep bringing up music Turtles? For god sakes they're not going to change TMNT from an action/super hero series to a friggin musical.

cGDeLkTlo_Q

Aztec General

10-21-2009, 03:46 PM

Wow, this was unexpected...then again selling characters to major corporations is all the rage these days.

I guess this is the end of the Mirage comics TMNT. 25 years is a good run I suppose. It will always be my favorite incarnation of TMNT, and the truest IMHO.

I hope Nick decides to treat TMNT as a serious property and don't decide to turn it back into the campy OT.

I don't see this as very good news for the upcoming TMNT film though. It will almost certainly not be the film that I was hoping for :(.

Cipher

10-21-2009, 03:47 PM

Well, that's it then.

I hate to sound defeatist, and I'll give future movies/cartoons their fair shake, but the one aspect of TMNT that has retained some value to me besides nostalgia are the comics. The adult-oriented, subdued, frequently experimental comics.

I predict this will be the end of that side of the TMNT. There may be future shows and comics, and they may be well done, but I doubt we'll ever see the return of non-kiddy Turtles. And, again, that's fine. I'll respect anyone's right to enjoy them. But they won't be my TMNT.

If anything I'm just dissapointed that it never became a recognized comic property like Batman et all. Now it's going to be more recycled kid fare that was once connected to a great comic. And rather than being a fan of the Turtles franchise as a whole, I'll have to specify, "I was a fan of this version, and this version, and this version."

Am I jumping to conclusions? Definitely. But I see Turtles being a very different property from here on out, and it's just no one I can picture myself getting behind.

I really feel like TMNT only works two ways, completely goofy, or dead serious. And seeing as there will never be any "dead serious" takes on the TMNT on TV or in a movie, I don't mind them bring the show back to what made the franchise successful in the first place.Just to make myself totally clear, I kind of agree. The new direction could be done quite well, but it just won't be for me.

No matter how you slice it, the days of "TMNT: The comic property with substantial commecial appendages" are gone in favor of "TMNT: The fully commercial kid's property." Like I said, we'll see how it plays out, but eh. It just can't get excited over kids' cartoons alone. When it ran tanget to the comics? It was a fun bonus. On it's own? It seems...distasteful, somehow.

I hope Nick decides to treat TMNT as a serious property and don't decide to turn it back into the campy OT.Dude, who cares? Kids' show's a kids' show. Even the 4Kids cartoon suffered sometimes because it failed to realize this.

tmntman

10-21-2009, 03:47 PM

I have very mixed feelings about all of this.

I have primarily been a fan of the TMNT as a toy line and in this regard, I don't think this bodes well. Every Nick line I can think of has turned the licensing rights for toys over to Mattel. And quite frankly, they may be the only company capable of screwing up the license worse than Playmates has recently. While I know that this change doesn't automatically mean that the license will change hands, if I recall correctly, Playmates contract does come up in the next year or two which would leave the possibility of a change open.

Where the comics are concerned, I will be sorry to see Tales of the TMNT go (assuming it does), but volume four was already killed in my eyes when the release schedule was slowed down to such a crawl that they'll never have a chance to move the story forward. In the mean time, I wouldn't be surprised to see Nick license out the TMNT property to continue the comics, though probably as an entirely new, more main stream series.

As for the movies and TV, I haven't been able to watch the cartoon since the end of Fast Forward due to a lack of decent reception for the local CW station. So anything is likely to be an improvement at this point. At the very least, this should mean a reboot for the property and another proverbial 15 minutes of fame.

My only real concern is that as others have said, Nick won't have the incentive to reboot the franchise if and when the popularity of the next incarnation dies down. Where Mirage was always able to keep it on life support at least and had a vested interest in pushing the license into a new incarnation each time, I doubt that will be true with Nickalodeon. So I guess the die hard fans had better start pooling our pennies now so that we can buy the rights back in say 5 or 6 years when Nick no longer sees them as profitable.

Blade Raider

10-21-2009, 03:49 PM

Nick also has wolverine and the x-men, which is one of the best superhero cartoons around...
That might be a good argument if Nick was responsible for the show. It's like giving the credit for Family Guy to Adult Swim. They simply just air it making it irrelevant.

Also, I agree it's one of the best superhero around right now, but that ain't saying much. The show is really subpar. That's off topic though.

GreasyBoi

10-21-2009, 04:06 PM

So I guess the die hard fans had better start pooling our pennies now so that we can buy the rights back in say 5 or 6 years when Nick no longer sees them as profitable.

Well, as 4KIDS said, Mirage AND 4Kids will not be working with the TMNT property in the future.

Aztec General

10-21-2009, 04:36 PM

Well, that's it then.

I hate to sound defeatist, and I'll give future movies/cartoons their fair shake, but the one aspect of TMNT that has retained some value to me besides nostalgia are the comics. The adult-oriented, subdued, frequently experimental comics.

I predict this will be the end of that side of the TMNT. There may be future shows and comics, and they may be well done, but I doubt we'll ever see the return of non-kiddy Turtles. And, again, that's fine. I'll respect anyone's right to enjoy them. But they won't be my TMNT.

If anything I'm just dissapointed that it never became a recognized comic property like Batman et all. Now it's going to be more recycled kid fare that was once connected to a great comic. And rather than being a fan of the Turtles franchise as a whole, I'll have to specify, "I was a fan of this version, and this version, and this version."

Am I jumping to conclusions? Definitely. But I see Turtles being a very different property from here on out, and it's just no one I can picture myself getting behind.

I agree completely. It's been a great 25 years, but now the TMNT I've known is, most likely, over. Who knows? Maybe it will work and a new generation of TMNT fans will be born, but it will almost certainly not be the TMNT that I've always known and loved.

It's cool though. I don't blame PL. $60 mil is A LOT of money, and let's be honest, he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire with his recent TMNT related decisions. Maybe it was time for everyone to move on anyways...

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 04:47 PM

whats all this doom and gloom crap?? atleast we'll be seeing something other than that ICARLY crap! nick can bea bit of a facist at times but i'm damn sure theyre not stupid. TMNT is big cheese. and they'll do what they can to make some entertainment/cash off it. mirage is probily lurking in the dark watching nick. this is good news though becus 4kids is the nazi channle...i liked WBKIDS before it was controlled and invaded by 4KIDS.....:( i hate theyre shows...TMNT is the only decent thing and with nick getting the rights maybe we'll get some awesome shows. maybe we'll see classic characters from the 80's..fact is remain hopeful instead of being scared ! jeeze! TMNT can survive another 25 years if we're lucky.

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 04:49 PM

and they'll do what they can to make some entertainment/cash off it

Oh good. Because we were worried there for a moment.

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 04:52 PM

Oh good. Because we were worried there for a moment.

your being scarcastic aren't you? 0.0

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 04:53 PM

whats all this doom and gloom crap?? atleast we'll be seeing something other than that ICARLY crap!

Uh-huh? I'm willing to bet you've never watched the show.

nick can bea bit of a facist at times but i'm damn sure theyre not stupid. TMNT is big cheese.

Ohhhh. You would know.

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs46/f/2009/212/7/d/hug_and_love_by_TMNTFAN85.png
I SUPPORT MIKEY/DON TURTLECEST. :tsmile:

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad178/mayerski5150/regalwatchesyoumasturbate.jpg

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 05:01 PM

Uh-huh? I'm willing to bet you've never watched the show.

Ohhhh. You would know.

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad178/mayerski5150/regalwatchesyoumasturbate.jpg

i'm just saying be a lil bit more possitive >.> atleast its not disney...for god's sakes...and i watched the 2003 series and the orginal series...i even sat through fast forward to the redeeming back to the swears...

Lieutenant Granitor

10-21-2009, 05:03 PM

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 05:05 PM

What's wrong with Disney? I don't get that at all.

Honestly, Ninja Turtle fans should be happy that they were picked up by a corporation with some sort of mainstream appeal.

P.S. rip Marvel and Mirage+4kids+Wolf Company :(

I don't have the words.

Lieutenant Granitor

10-21-2009, 05:07 PM

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 05:07 PM

Honestly, Ninja Turtle fans should be happy that they were picked up by a corporation with some sort of mainstream appeal.

Ninja Turtle fans have every reason to be concerned. Beyond the cartoon, that is (which, in all likelihood, will be fine for its target demographic).

The Stryker

10-21-2009, 05:10 PM

All 40 of you I'm sure will be devastated.

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 05:13 PM

:lol: LOL fans...they bitch about every lil thing...

Lieutenant Granitor

10-21-2009, 05:14 PM

World would end in 2012 anyways so thankfully we will not see new CG series lol

sdp

10-21-2009, 05:17 PM

They definitely bought TMNT after Disney bought Marvel, right now they have a few Marvel shows, this will give them their own comic superhero show.

Anyways I also highly doubt Nick will just bury the turtles, they didn't spend 60 million to make one season of the turtles and cancel and vault the turtles forever if its not a huge hit.

WTF? Don't speak for me.

I haven't figured out how I feel about this, as I see both pros and cons. But I don't expect it to be the "death of the franchise" when Nickelodeon has proven they know what they're doing time and time again.

Yeah I regret putting your name but to my defense its true, I think of you when DOOM TURTLES DEAD etc so its partly your fault :P;)

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7940/welcometonicktmnt.jpg

I like this except Doug is no longer owned by Nick, Disney does and Ren and Stimpy isn't owned by Nick either.

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 05:23 PM

They definitely bought TMNT after Disney bought Marvel, right now they have a few Marvel shows, this will give them their own comic superhero show.

Anyways I also highly doubt Nick will just bury the turtles, they didn't spend 60 million to make one season of the turtles and cancel and vault the turtles forever if its not a huge hit.

Yeah I regret putting your name but to my defense its true, I think of you when DOOM TURTLES DEAD etc so its partly your fault :P;)

I like this except Doug is no longer owned by Nick, Disney does and Ren and Stimpy isn't owned by Nick either.

>w< i like this...it makes it right for some reason..

King Kahn

10-21-2009, 05:45 PM

i have to say...i am in shock. i am happy and sad for many of the reasons stated already.

i AM surprised the property only went for 60 mil!!!!!:o:o:o

i bet if this was 94 or so it would have went for SUBSTANTIALLY more.

heck, if Nick makes ONE movie they'll make that 60 mil back 10 fold in merchandising alone.

Master Splinter

10-21-2009, 06:04 PM

Why do you guys keep bringing up music Turtles? For god sakes they're not going to change TMNT from an action/super hero series to a friggin musical.

Did someone say music Turtles....?

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4051/musicturtlesofficial.jpg

Here's the scoop. Donatello was furious over the announcement today. Apparently he has some beef with Jimmy Neutron or some b.s. like that. Well anyways, Raph, Leo, and Mikey still wanted to get the band back together. They still needed someone on the keys and put out an ad on Craigslist and Wolverine saw it and auditioned. Rumor has it he auditioned against Jamie Fox and Tim Allen. So I bet he put on quite a show. The only clause in Wolverine's contract was that he had to stand in the back of every picture.

So there you have it! The Turtles are back and playing some bodacious music with Wolverine!

:eyemouth:

-mm

Raph's Girl

10-21-2009, 06:29 PM

Did someone say music Turtles....?

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4051/musicturtlesofficial.jpg

Here's the scoop. Donatello was furious over the announcement today. Apparently he has some beef with Jimmy Neutron or some b.s. like that. Well anyways, Raph, Leo, and Mikey still wanted to get the band back together. They still needed someone on the keys and put out an ad on Craigslist and Wolverine saw it and auditioned. Rumor has it he auditioned against Jamie Fox and Tim Allen. So I bet he put on quite a show. The only clause in Wolverine's contract was that he had to stand in the back of every picture.

So there you have it! The Turtles are back and playing some bodacious music with Wolverine!

:eyemouth:

-mm

Jimmy Newtron! Yes! Another show with Rob Paulsen in it! For some reason Sheen is getting his own spin-off series. Rob Paulsen's in it too.

I think Rob's in most of of the Nick shows actually....

Lieutenant Granitor

10-21-2009, 06:30 PM

Hey this can be good! I mean Avatar is better than any of the 4kids shows... SpongeBon is funny... But what fears me most is CG animation... Have you seen new Iron Man on Nick. Thanks God Disney bought Marvel cause that showed is UGLY and SUCKISH!

Cure

10-21-2009, 06:41 PM

It's surprising how close minded some people can be. Nick and Disney suck? Yeah, OK.

>w< i like this...it makes it right for some reason..

Change your sig, that's f*cking gross and doesn't belong here.

Coola Yagami

10-21-2009, 06:46 PM

Wow..... this is.... something to come home to, huh?

My mind is spinning, like some of you said, so many pros and cons... Why would Peter sell off his own creations...? he won't own them anymore? I mean, they're what got him where he is today. We wouldn't know who the hell Laird was if it weren't for those green guys. And sure, he might not love his creations as much as Eastman did, but if he was so dead-set on handling his characters his way, then he must have cared for them somehow. So what now? Is he done with comics? try to start something new? Is he gonna fade away except for the fact that no matter who may own the Turtles now whenever it comes up it'll be mentioned he and Eastman created them?

Another thing.... is they're still gonna run the Turtles till August 2010, why not crank out a final season? I mean next August seems like such a long time for reruns, even if the rerun the whole show from Things Change to Weddings Bells and Bytes. Kids will be sick of it and GLAD it's over in August. I also hate the fact that 2012 is so far away. I'm old enough as to not supposed to care about TMNT anymore, so imagine me still trying to tune in to the new cartoon/movie in 2 more years? Bleh.

So I guess 25 was their lifespan huh? Well.... 26 if you count the 'up to August 2010' thing.

Lieutenant Granitor

10-21-2009, 06:46 PM

A new show is OK with me, so is the movie..
But I don't care about new stuff, I want to see what they do with old stuff

If Nick airs this stuff on channel I'll worship them forever

-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987s series)
-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 series)
-Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (would be nice bonus)
-All 4 movies
-Japanese Anime (just to laugh on how stupid it is)
-Turtles Forever (the biggest thing I am concerned about right now)

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 07:01 PM

It's surprising how close minded some people can be. Nick and Disney suck? Yeah, OK.

Change your sig, that's f*cking gross and doesn't belong here.

NEVER! :evil: FACIST!

Ninjinister

10-21-2009, 07:23 PM

Nn... this is a huge shocker. What is with big film/television studios deciding to nab comic companies as of late? Sure, the WB/DC thing as a while ago, but with two within the last few months, it's starting to seem like a fad. What's next, Fox trading Todd McFarlane a fish sandwich for Spawn?

There are some potentially amazing things to come of this, and some that are very troubling. First and foremost, the comics; although Tales was likely to bite the dust next year anyway, this almost completely wipes out the opportunity for ANY more Mirage series stories for the rest of eternity.

The only way I see the 2012 (is it too early to assign it the moniker of 2K12?) series as being completely freakin' amazing, is if the crew is made up of as many fanboys and girls as 4Kids had. They were only hindered by Pete's strict ruleset... which apparently is going right out the window. Speaking of fans on the crew, are you still going to hang around after all is said and done, T4K?

Like a lot of us, I'm still not entirely sure what to think about all of this. Perhaps it'll be for the better... and perhaps not. Only one way to find out, neh?

And before people start complaining about Nick, they are the ones responsibles of making one of the greatest cartoons/universes of all time.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa119/rakean/avatar.jpg

That doesn't make me feel better. Avatar is such a bore to me... Hate me if you like, but I just can't make it through a full episode.

ToSte

10-21-2009, 07:30 PM

I've pretty much hated everything TMNT that's come out since about '94, so I welcome anyone who may at least attempt to bring back part of what I enjoyed back then. If it dies it dies, it's been dead to me for a long time now.

Warhorse

10-21-2009, 07:32 PM

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 07:33 PM

Uh-huh? I'm willing to bet you've never watched the show.

I've watched it... I just dont like it. Hasn't made me laugh once.

Honestly, Ninja Turtle fans should be happy that they were picked up by a corporation with some sort of mainstream appeal.

I'm really happy, as far as TV goes. But i'm just a tad bit worried about the new movie, and I'm totally bummed about the comics.

NEVER! :evil: FACIST!

Facist? I think I'd file him under "not a sexual deviant".

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 07:39 PM

i heard its gonna be CGI tmnt show. i hope they bring out extra money to make it good. if not the animators of avatar the last air bender would be bad ass ya know they animated GIJOE RESOLUTE?

Cure

10-21-2009, 07:40 PM

That doesn't make me feel better. Avatar is such a bore to me... Hate me if you like, but I just can't make it through a full episode.

It may bore you, but objectively speaking, you can't really deny it's a well made cartoon, can you?

And yes, I admit, I'm a total facist. Whatever that is.

Ninjinister

10-21-2009, 07:44 PM

It may bore you, but objectively speaking, you can't really deny it's a well made cartoon, can you?

Well.... yeah, I can. I've never seen anything that would suggest it is well-made, other than the fact that it has a nice color palette and good voice actors. And these two alone don't make a cartoon 'well-made'. It's because I don't find it well-made - the plot, the characters, the writing, dialogue, and so forth - are why I find it so droll.

Lordmylar06

10-21-2009, 07:47 PM

It was all coming to this huh? I felt like it was all going somewhere, I mean I knew Pete Laird wasn't going to keep it up forever. I guess in all fairness to him, it's kinda hard to keep doing TMNT and not living up to the expectations of fans. It's kind of a bummer. I really hope this does not kill the comics. I know it's a bit early to speculate, but I'm afraid Mirage won't be finishing some of what I really wanted to read, and my monthly Tales fix may be on life support now.
I try not to be upset with Nickelodeon for making a great deal in a business sense, but I can't really get too happy about it either. The cartoons will be for the kids, I get that, but there's an entire constituency of comic book readers. Many of which don't even care to watch a TMNT toon now because we have a taste for the Mirage TMNT, the black and white teen to adult reading material.
Nickelodeon is so family oriented that I fear for the part of TMNT that means the most to me, the Literature. Even if it allows the comics to continue, I'm afraid the watering down will be too much for me. Don't get me wrong, I'll give it a chance, but I won't hold my breath.

Oh, and METALHEAD, Get rid of that sig. It's disgusting.

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 07:51 PM

Oh, and METALHEAD, Get rid of that sig. It's disgusting.[/QUOTE]

Never.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 07:54 PM

Is it a joke or for real? I'm telling my self its a joke, but...

Cure

10-21-2009, 08:01 PM

Leonardo Mystic

10-21-2009, 08:09 PM

I don't know yet how I feel about this right now, except very apprehensive. I don't want a new show and then it have all new VAs too. I love Mike S, Wayne, John, and Sam; they are the best. They are Leo, Mikey, Raph and Don in my opinion. It wouldn't be same without them as the Turtles. :(

I can't imagine either April as any other voice than Veronica. I really hope they'd approach Viacom/Nick and there is a way to reprise their roles in the 2012 show.

Just as I know some of you love the OT VAs and wish they'd come back for an episode or something, I feel the same way for the 2k3 VAs. I want them to come along too...

Ninjinister

10-21-2009, 08:13 PM

Fair enough, I guess.
Aye (nods). That being said, it is still a fair amount better than some of the stuff on TV.

But yeah, I don't think people really joke about turtlecest...
Yeah, that's pretty icky.

I don't know yet how I feel about this right now, except very apprehensive. I don't want a new show and then it have all new VAs too. I love Mike S, Wayne, John, and Sam; they are the best. They are Leo, Mikey, Raph and Don in my opinion. It wouldn't be same without them as the Turtles.

I can't imagine either April as any other voice than Veronica. I really hope they'd approach Viacom/Nick and there is a way to reprise their roles in the 2012 show.

Just as I know some of you love the OT VAs and wish they'd come back for an episode or something, I feel the same way for the 2k3 VAs. I want them to come along too...

It was pretty much inevitable, as unfortunate as it may be. Turtles Forever more or less marked the end of the 2K3 universe outside of any potential one-off stuff.

And unfortunately, I'm not entirely certain that Nickelodeon will honor the existence of a Multiverse.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 08:14 PM

I don't know yet how I feel about this right now, except very apprehensive. I don't want a new show and then it have all new VAs too. I love Mike S, Wayne, John, and Sam; they are the best. They are Leo, Mikey, Raph and Don in my opinion. It wouldn't be same without them as the Turtles. :(

I can't imagine either April as any other voice than Veronica. I really hope they'd approach Viacom/Nick and there is a way to reprise their roles in the 2012 show.

Are you serious? I mean, they've been portrayed by numerous other guys too.

You still have all the old episodes, let the new one do new things.

sdp

10-21-2009, 08:15 PM

Well.... yeah, I can. I've never seen anything that would suggest it is well-made, other than the fact that it has a nice color palette and good voice actors. And these two alone don't make a cartoon 'well-made'. It's because I don't find it well-made - the plot, the characters, the writing, dialogue, and so forth - are why I find it so droll.

Well you've never watched it, its like if someone watched a littl ebit of a TMNT episode in season 3, they wouldn't understand whats going on and just because they don't like the idea of the turtles it sucks?

Avatar is very heavy in continuity, the character designs I didn't like that much until I started watching the show. The music is amazing far better than anything TMNT in any media has ever made, the plot is beyond TMNT 2k3, the characters actually change, writing was mostly excellent and so was the dialog. The only times Avatar failed was when it tried to do slapstick humor in which was hit or miss but even then it was never as bad as some of mikey's dialog in the 2k3 show. I love TMNT and TMNT 2k3 but Avatar The Last Airbender is far superior in every regard even action. Like any show it has its bad stuff and bad episodes but nothing worse than TMNTs worst.

I really recommend you watch the show but watch from episode 1, this show might be overrated by fans and it does have its flaws but it is easily the best cartoon this decade and this decade had some great stuff with TMNT 2k3, JLU, spectacular spiderman etc.

TurtleGuy

10-21-2009, 08:19 PM

For anyone thinking that this could be a disaster, let me quote Batman from I'm a Marvel/DC when Disney bought Marvel:

Batman: Have they ruined the franchise yet?

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: Have they saved the franchise yet?

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: Can you see the future?

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: Can I see the future?

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: So, there's really no way of knowing.

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: So there's really no point in asking.

Spider-Man: No.

Batman: So there's really no point in worrying.

I'm not gonna really worry about it right now. Personally I think it's a good thing since the series seemed to have been stagnating for a while. I'm not gonna worry until they actually do something with the franchise.

willtupper

10-21-2009, 08:22 PM

I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING THIS.

Here's a clip from the new "Origin" episode of the Turtles. OMG!

They're going to start out as humans? And then get exposed to the mutagen?!?

Don't believe me? See for yourself!

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBTrjZCyO94&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBTrjZCyO94&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Hannah

10-21-2009, 08:23 PM

A CG show is just going to be plain ugly. Jimmy Neutron... The Penguins of Madagascar... those are the only two CG Nick shows I can think of (are there more?) and both are terribly animated. It's going to be half-assed.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 08:24 PM

It wasn't SLIME, it was OOZE!

:P

METALHEAD

10-21-2009, 08:26 PM

man that brings back memories.
:D

Leonardo Mystic

10-21-2009, 08:27 PM

I don't know yet how I feel about this right now, except very apprehensive. I don't want a new show and then it have all new VAs too. I love Mike S, Wayne, John, and Sam; they are the best. They are Leo, Mikey, Raph and Don in my opinion. It wouldn't be same without them as the Turtles. :(

I can't imagine either April as any other voice than Veronica. I really hope they'd approach Viacom/Nick and there is a way to reprise their roles in the 2012 show.Are you serious? I mean, they've been portrayed by numerous other guys too.

You still have all the old episodes, let the new one do new things.

Right and you tell that too to all the others stuck on the OT VAs. :roll: We like what we like, okay? Just as you do. Is it so bad to be hopeful in all this? It's like being dropped a sh*t bomb on for some of us. This news is really sudden and unexpected.

ToTheNines

10-21-2009, 08:30 PM

Right and you tell that too to all the others stuck on the OT VAs. :roll: We like what we like, okay? Just as you do. Is it so bad to be hopeful in all this? It's like being dropped a sh*t bomb on for some of us. This news is really sudden and unexpected.

I'm not knocking you at all for loving the 2k3 cast, that's totally cool. I'm just sayin, other actors have done great portrayls of the TMNT... and you have 7 seasons, 1 movie, random bonus material/ads and 4 video games starring that favorite cast of yours.

Cipher

10-21-2009, 08:33 PM

I just want to rebute some of the "Why all the gloom and doom?" comments from a few pages back.

I'm trying to be as diplomatic about this as possible. Financially, Nick will probably do great things with the Turtles. As a kids' cartoon, Nick will probably even do a decent job (although the CGI is worrisome).

But for the fans who enjoy Turtles as something more than a kids' cartoon (yes, all 40 of us), the ride is over. I can enjoy a cartoon as much as the next guy when it's ancilliary to the very unique comic series I've come to love. Without that...it's not my bag. Sorry.

I'm not saying it's the end of Turtles (the opposite probably). I'm not saying it's the end of moderately dark Turtles (althought it might be, but that's besides the point). What probably it is the end of is my Turtles, the comic Turtles. (Unless anyone sees Nick upkeeping an adult-oriented comic title and...really? It's not like their getting something lucrative like Marvel here.) I speak for no one but myself.

If anyone else here is a Dragon Ball fan, look at it that way. The show's been over for more than ten years. Then the American movie comes their way, and fans were, understandably, like "'Scuse me, WTF you doin'?" That was a sh*tty product, but even if it had been well done, it's really not the same property anymore.

But oh well. All series end. The material that I do enjoy isn't going anywhere. Maybe, oh hope of hopes, this will even bode well for TPBs, and that's never a bad thing. Really, that's my only (personal) silver-lining to this right now.

Coola Yagami

10-21-2009, 08:39 PM

Yeah, we already have a cast for the OT, the NT, the 3 old movies, and the CGI movie. I think we can handle one more. Let's hope we get another hot April.

willtupper

10-21-2009, 08:39 PM

Thank you, Raph :D.

It wasn't SLIME, it was OOZE!

:P

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 08:43 PM

It really boils down to this...

Love or hate Laird... there is no longer any human heart beating at the center of the TMNT. You peel back the curtain now, it's just a mega corporation run by committee and shareholders that's traded on Wall Street designed to generate the most profit from the lowest common denominator.

The more the day goes on, the more this is really getting to me.

Cipher

10-21-2009, 08:45 PM

Love or hate Laird... there is no longer any human heart beating at the center of the TMNT. Just a mega corporation run by committee and shareholders that's traded on Wall Street.Word. They're going to be appealing to the most profitable audience now, and that's that. If it includes you, great. If it doesn't, then oh well. The proverbial buck stops here.

ZariusTwo

10-21-2009, 09:04 PM

Nick are the best guys qualified for TMNT, everything about that franchise fits the network like a glove.

Blade Raider

10-21-2009, 09:05 PM

Great Disney buys Marvel, and Nick buys Mirage! What's next!?!
Lucasfilms buys Dark Horse?

i heard its gonna be CGI tmnt show. i hope they bring out extra money to make it good. if not the animators of avatar the last air bender would be bad ass ya know they animated GIJOE RESOLUTE?
Titmouse (ha-ha!) animated Resolute. However, this is CGI so my first thought was Mainframe...but then I remember Mainframe has been gone for years. I haven't been impressed by another TV CGI company enough to really care.

Well.... yeah, I can. I've never seen anything that would suggest it is well-made, other than the fact that it has a nice color palette and good voice actors. And these two alone don't make a cartoon 'well-made'. It's because I don't find it well-made - the plot, the characters, the writing, dialogue, and so forth - are why I find it so droll.
I completely agree with you Ninjinister. I feel the same about Ben 10. Both have great concepts (even if one seems...familiar) and animation, but the execution and especially the characters are terrible.

ZariusTwo

10-21-2009, 09:07 PM

MAINFRAME became Rainmaker, and there already preparing a revival of Reboot

Andrew NDB

10-21-2009, 09:08 PM

Nick are the best guys qualified for TMNT, everything about that franchise fits the network like a glove.

The cartoon, sure. Everything else...

ZariusTwo

10-21-2009, 09:10 PM

The cartoon, sure. Everything else...

Avatar.

'Nuff said.

Warhorse

10-21-2009, 09:13 PM

I'm not knocking you at all for loving the 2k3 cast, that's totally cool. I'm just sayin, other actors have done great portrayls of the TMNT... and you have 7 seasons, 1 movie, random bonus material/ads and 4 video games starring that favorite cast of yours.

I agree. I love the 2k3 toon VA, but I also loved the VA in the 2007 movie. It's one of those things, where yeah, we may have our preferences, but when new voice actors come along, they'll more than likely grow on us as well.

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 09:14 PM

The cartoon, sure. Everything else...

Yeah, exactly.
Look, it's not the cartoon I'm worried about. I've very little doubt that Nick is going to do something really cool with the Turtles on the small screen.

What bothers and concerns me is whether or not the comics are dead in the water. And there's no real way of knowing that without simply...waiting. I just feel as if a loved one is on lifesupport and we're just waiting to hear word from on high about pulling the plug.

And all the while there're folks with coolers and dry ice looking for organs to harvest.

BigApple3AM

10-21-2009, 09:19 PM

I haven't read the entire thread, but let me just say that the majority of fans were upset about how this year was a major disappointment and wasn't a proper 25th anniversary. I wouldn't be surprised if these fan criticisms helped with Peter's decision to sell (not to mention the sixty mill). Now those who were upset with how Mirage ran things got what you wanted. We'll see how it plays out, but I'll admit I'll miss this era of TMNT. I didn't always enjoy everything but looking back the majority of it was quality stuff. So bravo to 4kids and Mirage and everyone involved. Hopefully you'll stick around in some form or move onto bigger and better things.

Now regarding the buy out my only real complaint is that I always respected the Turtles for being independent unlike the other cartoons/toys/video games/etc... For some reason that helped set them apart from stuff that's obviously focus tested and manufactured. Now they'll be absorbed by another massive company which just brings us even closer to this monopoly that is American business. Disney buying marvel was a shock to me, this is even bigger, it hasn't even hit me yet.

Turo602

10-21-2009, 09:20 PM

This sucks big time.

Just better hope the new show is really cool or decent. Which I dout shows always get more kiddish each year. Like how Batman TAS became The new Batman adventures and how that became The Batman and finally that became The brave and the Bold. What i'm trying to say is that shows always get worse as they are remade especially since it's going to be on Nickelodeon.

prophecy718

10-21-2009, 09:33 PM

^^^ and I agree with what you just said :ohwell:

Cipher

10-21-2009, 09:40 PM

Avatar.Is a decent kids' cartoon. No one, absolutely no one, has expressed doubts that Nick will do a good job with the Turtles in that department.

Though in what way Avatar is similar enough to the Mirage comics to assuage the fears of its fans, I fail to see.

It basically boils down to: If you like the cartoons more, you're in good hands. If you liked the comics, the future is very, very uncertain.

And all the while there're folks with coolers and dry ice looking for organs to harvest.No time for serious things. TMNT is too important.

plastroncafe

10-21-2009, 09:44 PM

No time for serious things. TMNT is too important.

Hey now, I'll have you know that my hyperbole is srs bsnss!

FlawedCoil82

10-21-2009, 09:45 PM

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad178/mayerski5150/regalwatchesyoumasturbate.jpg

:lol: Holy crap, I could not stop laughing at this picture that Stryker posted in response to METALHEAD's disgusting signature. Wow, at least something good came from it.

Now onto the topic at hand. My one and only concern in this matter right now is wondering whether or not the Season 3 and Season 4 dvds of the 2k3 series will FINALLY be released in the proper season sets like they always should have been. I'll be perfectly happy just getting those, even if the new show ends up stinking. Of course, I would be thrilled to get another cartoon similar to 2k3, however I don't see that happening. I'll still give it a shot but otherwise I'd be thrilled with just getting those final few dvd season sets and then I'd walk out the door while TMNT can still leave a good impression on me.
Jack

Raph's Girl

10-21-2009, 09:50 PM

Great Disney buys Marvel, and Nick buys Mirage!

Actually Nick didn't buy Mirage.... they only got the turtles. Peter Laird said in his statement on his blog that he still owns Mirage Inc, he simply sold the turtles to Viacom cuz he didn't have the time for them anymore. :ohwell:

10-21-2009, 10:02 PM

You don't know how Nick works, do you? If the new show bombs, Nick will sweep TMNT under the carpet and never let it see the light of day again. Nick very rarely sells properties.

This is terrible news. Mirage most likely will no longer exist by next year and Turtles is at the mercy of kids ratings now.

Yeah, but Nick actually airs cartoons in prime time, a perfect spot for the new show if done right.

It also has higher ratings than 4Kids has, so who's to say it won't be on the air as long as Spongebob?

Only time will tell.

Leonardo_Warrior_Turtle

10-21-2009, 10:12 PM

So what does this mean for Turtles Forever? Or live-action TMNT movie? Heck, what about all the 2k3 Turtles DVDs?

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 10:17 PM

BigApple3AM

10-21-2009, 10:25 PM

While the criticism from fans probably didn't help, it was obvious reading his blog over the last several years that Peter just didn't have the passion to run the franchise and running the large turtles franchise was just to much work for him and Mirage, it's not surprising he decided to sell TMNT, but still a shock that it actually happened.

I agree with that, still I think maybe just maybe he was getting excited about turtles again with this anniversary year and all the cool stuff that fans acted negatively towards that might have pushed him over the edge. I'm not blaming anyone with this, I just think it might be a reason why it happened.

Leonardo_Warrior_Turtle

10-21-2009, 10:27 PM

Ninjinister

10-21-2009, 10:31 PM

After reading over the stuff that Pete said, I have to agree with him. He probably became overwhelmed with handling the property but he must feel sad to let it go. It's his (co)baby. Actually, it was his baby since he became the 100% owner after Kev let his half go to Pete. Talk about a wild anniversary!! And a wild year. First Marvel sold to Disney, not TMNT to Nick? Craziness!

Dude, when a couple has a baby, you don't call it a co-baby. It's just their baby :lol: The terminology doesn't change when you're using an endearing term for a creation.

prescribeddrone

10-21-2009, 10:47 PM

Whoa. I hope this is good news and this doesn't damper anything PG13.

turkishproverb

10-21-2009, 10:56 PM

yeaa...I'm gonna go to my happy place before I say something too horrible/bannable. Don't know if I'll ever be back here. Other, brighter fandoms to visit, some still privately owned.

Shredder

10-21-2009, 11:29 PM

Wow, I wasn't expecting news like this...Even though it's too early to say exactly how this buyout will impact the franchise, I'm not all that optimistic from the little information we do have. A CG series? :sick: I don't see why TMNT needs yet another animated series, when the original 80's cartoon covered it fine the first time, and the franchise already was recently remade for a new generation with the successful 2K3 series. I guess it just comes down to money. It should be interesting (although probably not in a good way, unfortunately) to see what other plans Nickelodeon has for the TMNT.

Thanks very much for posting this as a news announcement, GK. :) I've been so busy today that I haven't had a chance to check in until now.

gobo

10-21-2009, 11:41 PM

Great Disney buys Marvel, and Nick buys Mirage! What's next!?! And new CG series!?! GRRRRRRRRRRR!!! I hate CG, I only like traditional animation, and live action! And I bet Nick will mess TMNT up! I mean have you seen new iron man show?? It's like school computers project! And I don't want TMNT interact with SpongeBob! I hope they sstill will be aring animated series, and publishing comics!
P.S. rip Marvel and Mirage+4kids+Wolf Company :(
Come to think about it Nick is #2 kids channel (Disney beign first)! This can rise turtles again! And maybe they will air old and new cartoons! And maybe we get lucky enought to see Next Mutation! This means more toys, comics, movies, cartoon!
COWABANGA!
180 much? O_o

Dragon Turtle

10-21-2009, 11:47 PM

Wow, I wasn't expecting news like this...Even though it's too early to say exactly how this buyout will impact the franchise, I'm not all that optimistic from the little information we do have. A CG series? :sick: I don't see why TMNT needs yet another animated series, when the original 80's cartoon covered it fine the first time, and the franchise already was recently remade for a new generation with the successful 2K3 series. I guess it just comes down to money.

What's wrong with new cartoon series, you don't truly believe a kids property would go on long without a new cartoon to promote it?

tone-master21

10-21-2009, 11:54 PM

Come to think about it Nick is #2 kids channel (Disney beign first)! This can rise turtles again! And maybe they will air old and new cartoons! And maybe we get lucky enought to see Next Mutation! This means more toys, comics, movies, cartoon!
COWABANGA!

According to the LA Times Nickelodeon has gotten rerun rights for the 2K3 series, but is also looking to get the rights to the 1980s series.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-ninja22-2009oct22,0,5755590.story?track=rss

Shredder

10-22-2009, 12:06 AM

What's wrong with new cartoon series, you don't truly believe a kids property would go on long without a new cartoon to promote it?

Well, I'm not saying there never should be another animated TMNT series ever, but I just don't see what the big rush is considering the last of the 2K3 series wrapped up not that long ago. There's other things to do that relate to TMNT to keep the franchise alive, like movies or comics or whatever. I'm not surprised at their choice of a CG series, considering it's Nickelodeon, I'm just not that enthusiastic about the idea. I mean, I could be wrong, but it's just my opinion based on the little we know so far. We'll just have to wait and see.

ZariusTwo

10-22-2009, 12:10 AM

This sucks big time.

How the hell does it? Get out of the cocoon, under the guiding eyes of an independent, the anniversary tanked, the comics have been delayed, and the last two seasons were certaingly not reflective of the earlier seasons quality.

Which I dout shows always get more kiddish each year. Like how Batman TAS became The new Batman adventures and how that became The Batman and finally that became The brave and the Bold

The Brave and The Bold is awesome, it harkens back to the silver age of comics. Batman: TAS is NOT the end-all/be-all either. Batman has various incarnations and many of them all have appeal.

Thanks for proving you never watched The Batman by the way. That got progressivly darker when the DCAU team were assigned to produce the final two seasons.

Anyone who thinks every animated series based on a comic needs to be mature and dark all of the time hasnt got a frickin' diverse bone in thier body.

It basically boils down to: If you like the cartoons more, you're in good hands. If you liked the comics, the future is very, very uncertain.

TMNT's place has always been better defined in television and movies. Comics, despitee thier place as the initial source and a further extension of the franchise, are an indulgence. I don't like that any more than you do, but that's me being a realist. TMNT will be fine without that resource for the time being.

Cipher

10-22-2009, 12:44 AM

TMNT's place has always been better defined in television and movies. Comics, despitee thier place as the initial source and a further extension of the franchise, are an indulgence. I don't like that any more than you do, but that's me being a realist. TMNT will be fine without that resource for the time being.Yeah, I acknowledged the fact that the TMNT were a minority. I've also acknowledged that, from a business standpoint, this will be a huge boon to the franchise. It just won't be the same franchise that small comic fanbase enjoyed. 'S'all I'm saying.

Really there are only two ways I see this benefitting the comic fans:

1) Volume 4 finishes, and the deal leads to reprints of the old comics at major retailors, so we can at least pick up the series and leave the new TMNT happily alone (unless it's really, really good).

2) It leads to a continuation of the series or a reboot with a similar tone.

So, yeah. For the fifth or so time: Great news for the cartoon fans, sucky for the comic fans unless it leads to reprints. But c'est la vie. I don't have any delusions about where the Turtles' commercial success lies.

And yes, I'm done re-iterating the same opinions over and over again. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't coming across as whiny or idealistic. I'm just cautiously pessimistic, as a comic book fan.

Dragon Turtle

10-22-2009, 12:58 AM

Well, I'm not saying there never should be another animated TMNT series ever, but I just don't see what the big rush is considering the last of the 2K3 series wrapped up not that long ago. There's other things to do that relate to TMNT to keep the franchise alive, like movies or comics or whatever. I'm not surprised at their choice of a CG series, considering it's Nickelodeon, I'm just not that enthusiastic about the idea. I mean, I could be wrong, but it's just my opinion based on the little we know so far. We'll just have to wait and see.

It would be more then three years between the last new episode of BTTS and the new series, so the series are not that close together. And from a strategic standpoint it makes sense to release a cartoon at the same time as the movie, the strategy worked well for Jimmy Neutron. Ideally there would also be an attempt to revive the comics at the same time, but I doubt there will be much of a push on that front.

I'm a fan of CGI, but CG TV shows have never impressed my from a visual standpoint.

Vegita-San

10-22-2009, 01:09 AM

I've posted my thoughts on Peter's blog, now that I've had some time to process it.

Some good creative possibilities for the sale, the artists got screwed over with no more creative input into the franchise.

There is no reason why Jim, or Murphy, or even Dooney and Talbot shouldn't have been presented with the opportunity to take over if Pete wanted to retire. My guess for mirage's future? If Peter is anything like me, he will now have fallen into a rut and no amount of free time will get him back into the 'creative vibe'. Now he's left with no franchise, Mirage is technically dead in the water, and the artists got screwed with job stability. Personally, for that alone, I hope they all leave and find better jobs. That just sounds like a screw you deal from Gary knowing his previous 'questionable' business practices in the past.

Or even better, groom someone new to replace him. George Lucas has Rick Macullum handling most of the creative and business dealings, why couldn't Pete have done the same thing? And WHY in the home stretch of the 25th anniversary year no less? Nickelodian could have handled that a bit better to celebrate their new purchase in January than Mirage did at the very least....

Powder

10-22-2009, 01:26 AM

I like the fact that nick basically said they wanna use TMNT as a door opener to harder edged programming... makes me comfortable with it being in the hands of nick, they will stay true to it maybe.. i hope. who knows if they aquire the 80s toon as they said they want to, maybe it would be on nick at night. watching fresh prince and turtles in the same hour? **** would be so cash

Krutch

10-22-2009, 01:38 AM

Wow... this really bums me out on a personal level.

That being said, I think Batman said it best when Disney bought Marvel.

Spider-man: Heya, Bats, whats gonna happen now that Disney bought out Marvel?
Batman: What do you mean?
Spider-man: Well, some fans are saying it will be a disaster, but the studios are saying it will be the best thing ever. So, which is it?
Batman: Have they ruined any franchises yet?
Spider-man: No.
Batman: Have they saved any franchises yet?
Spider-man: No.
Batman: Can you see the future?
Spider-man: No.
Batman: Can I see the future?
Spider-man: No.
Batman: So there's really no way of knowing.
Spider-man: No.
Batman: So there's really no point in asking.
Spider-man: No.
Batman: So there's really no point in worrying.
Spider-man: No.
Batman: Feel better?
Spider-man: ...Yeah.
Batman: Good, can I get a water?
Spider-man: Yeah, sure.

Wildcat

10-22-2009, 02:01 AM

Ok I didnt read this entire thread, just about 5 pages.

Honestly Im very sad about this. Yes the cartoon could be good (but there will never be another 2k3 and so much for the next movie) but Nick has been nothing but pure crap for like the past 10 years. Spongebob was thier last decent cartoon which I watch sometimes but other than that its all teenybobber crap and laugh-tracks.

The rest is NickJr. and Nick@Nite which actually takes up most of thier daily schedule. I used to love Nick growing up and thats all I used to watch everyday back in the 90s. No need to explain myself on that.

The only good I can see at the moment is after Nick is done doing whatever theyre gonna do they can always sell TMNT to someone else...right? I dont know, this is bigger than just a licence agreement, they own the Ninja Turtles now.

Regaurdless of all that though I think a better question is(and I know it may have been asked already) is why sell the TMNT property in the first place?Seems like it was done just for the money. TMNT was thier biggest success and franchise...didnt that mean anything at all. It be like Disney selling Mickey or Nintendo selling Mario.

Krutch

10-22-2009, 02:23 AM

Whoa, TurtleGuy... i didn't realize I totally repeated what you wrote lol. Sorry bout that.

Splinter642

10-22-2009, 02:28 AM

Honestly, I have been a little worried about there being a future for the TMNT the last couple of years so I think this is great news. Let's not forget that the current series doesn't seem to be doing stellar, you can't buy Turtles toys in Walmart/Target anymore, and recent comics haven't exactly been hot sellers.

As many noted, this might dim the prospects of more mature TMNT projects, but those have never been in many places out of the comics. I'm still hopeful Mirage Studios will have the license to continue making new comics.

If I were to guess I would say this deal is a lot like how Jim Hensen sold "The Muppets" to Disney to ensure its survival. Viacom is a lot more stable than Mirage Studios and has a lot more power to push for large scale projects. Obviously, it would have been nicer if a company with a stronger history of character/franchise management like Disney or Warner Bros took over the TMNT, but this is better than nothing.

ZariusTwo

10-22-2009, 02:36 AM

Spongebob was thier last decent cartoon which I watch

Christ almighty, watch Avatar.

10-22-2009, 02:42 AM

Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events.

I'm sure everyone who has even LIKED the turtles here would be a little shocked and/or disheartened by this, but it was bound to happen eventually. If not with Nick, than it would be with Disney or Cartoon Network or something of the like. Peter had some great ideas, and was a great driving force for it. I'll defiantely miss him.

I'm also a bit sad that they've got another show in the works so soon. I think what made the 2k3 show so great was that they gave it a bit of space between the 80's cartoon and the Next Mutation Show. I know it isn't even close to 2012 yet, but still, like Shredder said, give the franchise a bit of rest before making another cartoon. Then another generation of kids will be able to get into it instead of saying "oh. Turtles. Seen that before."

However, while I'm sad Peter has handed the rights over, I'm also a bit glad. His love of sci-fi was seeping into the turtle's world a lot, and was trying to do what he loved through that. Now with the changing of hands, he can go back into what he wanted to do and draw what he liked.

Also, it always isn't a bad thing to let new people with fresh eyes and ideas take over. Hopefully it will work well in this case. I'm looking forward to seeing any new stories that steam from this at least...

Aneras713

10-22-2009, 03:57 AM

Just a question, didn't KidsWB try to make a CGI Turtles and utterly fail?

Though from the preview I saw it does look like it had a lot of stuff that the 2k3 cartoon would have. Right down to Raph interupting Mikey as he says cowabunga.

Wildcat

10-22-2009, 04:12 AM

Christ almighty, watch Avatar.

Ive never watched that because Im not into anime and I know its kinda in that style. Though I dont doubt its a good cartoon since Ive never seen it and I dont like judging something Ive never tryed but does it come out anymore?

I only see it on thier Nicktoons channel and theyre re-runs. If it is done that only furthers the point that Nick has no good shows anymore (except Spongebob which I said I watch sometimes, its not my favorite show or anything.) Its like all of Nicks failed or completed series goto to die on Nicktoons.

I know there is gonna be a live-action Avatar movie, which I assume since I dont follow the cartoon, is the end for that series...at least for the time being, not saying itll fail or anything. There will probably be a sequel and whatnot since its come this far.

gobo

10-22-2009, 05:58 AM

Just a question, didn't KidsWB try to make a CGI Turtles and utterly fail?
No. There were a couple CGI TMNT pilots created circa 2001, but neither were affiliated with KidsWB. What Warner pitched was cel-animation with dwarf Turtles and April and Casey sharing in the 'Teenage' aspect of the title.

Vivi

10-22-2009, 06:01 AM

I'm very interested to see what direction Nick takes Tmnt. They did an exceptional job with Avatar. Thankfully Peter confirmed that he may still conclude Tmnt vol4, while legally i don't know that works, i wonder what will be counted as cannon continuity in the future.

prophecy718

10-22-2009, 06:48 AM

Now I didn't see this posted already but If it was-- sorry about that. I noticed Peter Laid posted this on his blog late last night.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Musings about the sale
This evening, my daughter Emily wisely advised me to make a statement about the MTVN/Viacom/Nickelodeon buyout of the TMNT property on my blog... so I am going to try to do that. I suspect it won't be the last statement I will make about this subject.

I will try to touch on some of the things that folks have inquired about, but I can't guarantee that all questions will be answered.

First, why did I sell the TMNT? There are a number of reasons, but first and foremost is that I have been doing this TMNT thing for twenty-five years, sixteen of them in partnership with TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and the last nine as sole owner of the property. That is a long time. It is almost half my life (I'm 55). I never expected to be working on the same thing for this long. And it has worn me down. I am no longer that guy who carries his sketchbook around with him and draws in it every chance he gets. That guy did all of the pre-TMNT artwork you have been seeing on this blog in many of my "Blast from the Past" posts.

I miss -- I really, really miss -- being that guy.

My fervent hope is that by divesting myself of this wonderful but needful-of-constant-attention property, I might -- I just MIGHT -- get back to being that guy. Or something LIKE that guy.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention that my energy level for things TMNT has flagged in these last few years. As one result, the production of TMNT Volume 4 comics has slowed to a crawl. That's not good. I have a conclusion planned out for that series, and at some point I want to get to it. Maybe this sale will help me get to that point. We'll see.

The idea of a sale of the TMNT property to a third party is not a new one. Kevin and I, while we were still partners, discussed it during the 1990's and actually came to the conclusion that if the right deal came our way, we would take it. We got a couple of offers -- one of which was, in retrospect, pretty decent, and another which was simply ludicrous and insulting. We took neither of them. This one, this sale which was completed on Monday of this week, came out of the blue. I was not actively pursuing selling the property, though Gary (CEO of Mirage) and Fred (my attorney) knew that it was something I might be interested in should the right buyer with the right deal come my way. And then Viacom/MTVN/Nickelodeon showed interest and we started talking.

I've known for a long time that at some point in my life I would sell the TMNT. I just wasn't sure when it would happen. But, as they say, in this case "the stars lined up".

I know that many fans are concerned with how the TMNT will be treated now that they have a new owner. I am also concerned, but I have faith that the new owner will treat the property with due respect and make the most of it. And the simple fact is -- I didn't have it in me any more, and the property DESERVED a new owner. Now it has one, with powerful roots in the entertainment business. I am actually quite excited to see where they take TMNT.

I am pretty certain that what Viacom/MTVN/Nickelodeon will do with the TMNT is NOT going to be what I would have done with it had I kept ownership. But is that necessarily bad? I think not. For example, if Kevin and I had had our way back in 1987, the original TMNT animated series would have been a lot different. It would probably have been a lot more like the 2003 4Kids show. Now, I really like the newer 4Kids series, but I also know that many fans much prefer the lighter, goofier original series. I don't know what the new Nickelodeon series will be like... but maybe it will be something better than either of the old shows, or simply something new and different, with a fresh approach and attitude. I think everyone should wait and see before passing judgment.

One comment -- which I have seen online several times -- expresses the sentiment that this sale will mean "the end of TMNT". This baffles me. Unless I am completely naive, the sale to Viacom could very well mean a brighter future for the TMNT property than was previously feasible.

On a final note (at least for this statement), please understand that I sold the TMNT property, not Mirage Studios. Mirage still exists, and it's still my company. It just doesn't own the TMNT intellectual property anymore. I'm not sure what its future will be. For a little while, it will be helping with the transition of TMNT over to its new owners. But after that...? I don't know. What I am hoping, however, is that this little core group of creators sticks together, both as friends and collaborators. And I think that is certainly possible. -- PL

XERO

10-22-2009, 07:01 AM

Big news indeed, but it's gotten me waitin' to see what happens down the line.

And on a side note, I'd rather play that creepy maze game than look at METALHEAD's sig again.

Doc_ock_4mugen

10-22-2009, 07:27 AM

I'm curious about this deal... I HOPE that it'll be good for the franchise.
The NEWEST TOON: CGI is a big turnoff for me... Blame Poké... I mean TMNT. Hopefully they'll use a new VA cast... Quinton Flynn as Casey Jones would be awesome!! Too Bad Mako is dead as he has been the best splinter I've heard...
COMICS: Here's where most of the Doom and Gloom feeling comes from... I have NO Idea how will this work, but hopefully nickelodeon has more reach in distribution (praying for TPBs or hardcover collections of previous TMNT comics) If they do get people to work on the comics I feel that a Reboot might be just around the corner...
TOYS: Well Hopefully Playmates will get their shells in gear and make decent tmnt toys... (By decent I mean better than what they've done so far especially on non Turtle characters...) Maybe THIS time we'll get upgraded anniversary toys for the 30th... (not a creat number but...) but they could do as they've been doing lately and call it a day.
A change to mattel could be good in a way... (Mattel seems to be in good relations with the 4Horsemen, and the NECA TMNT line seems to be going nowhere... see where I'm going with this?) but the change to mattel could be for the worse. 2 TMNT lines the craptacular line for the kiddies and a "comic inspired line" available only on mattycollector.com (crap! it's the 15th! Now I have to battle with MOTU and Ghostbusters buyers to get my Shredder! *Red screen of death* DARN! *Refresh* Shredder: Sold Out... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!)

sdp

10-22-2009, 07:37 AM

Have any of you seen Clone Wars?

You might not like the art style but the CG is beautiful, sure you can say Lucas can afford to spend the money on his franchise but by 2012 I'm sure that level of CG for a tv show will be standard since it'd be 4 year old technology by that time. Its almost as if people are expecting the show to be like the CGi pilot.

The death of grim dark Mirage turtles could be indeed the dead, I can't really see Nick following that universe. Reprints though are probably not out of the question, I'm sure if someone were to ask to publish them as long as they see money.

I actually expected more negativity though.

10-22-2009, 07:55 AM

We're glass-half-full kinda people.

Sometimes.

Seriously, these things happen. It was going to happen sooner or later. It's the circle of the industry. And if we start throwing temper tantrums about it, then what use is that going to do? Let's just be thankful it went to Nick and not to Disney in it's current state of Hannah Montanna goodness.

ToTheNines

10-22-2009, 08:55 AM

I hope Nick lets Dan keep his job as web-dude!!!

What bothers and concerns me is whether or not the comics are dead in the water.

They are man...

I'm Facebook friends with Panel to Panel and they said this:

"Concerning your question about what great plan P2P had with Mirage in 2010... Well let's just say it involved publishing an all new, exclusive TMNT prose story by Jake Black with illustrations by Kevin Eastman. It really is too bad this won't happen now. :("

Just better hope the new show is really cool or decent. Which I dout shows always get more kiddish each year. Like how Batman TAS became The new Batman adventures and how that became The Batman and finally that became The brave and the Bold. What i'm trying to say is that shows always get worse as they are remade especially since it's going to be on Nickelodeon.

You are stupid on so many levels. The New Batman Adventures was the exact same show as TAS, just different name and art. You totally skipped The Batman. Brave and the Bold is great for what it is. None of these shows "became" the other one.

According to the LA Times Nickelodeon has gotten rerun rights for the 2K3 series, but is also looking to get the rights to the 1980s series.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-ninja22-2009oct22,0,5755590.story?track=rss

That was really cool how they said they'd be branching out into the action-adventure genre, so suck it haters! Please understand that while you wanted it on Cartoon Network or what ever... they're now competing with it.

But that scares me about the OT. I'd love to see it aired on TV again, but I just don't want this to f*ck with the DVD releases since we are so close to finishing (12 more episodes lol). But I would have been totally cool with it had this happened when they were in the middle of releasing season 3.

TurtleGuy

10-22-2009, 09:23 AM

Whoa, TurtleGuy... i didn't realize I totally repeated what you wrote lol. Sorry bout that.

It's alright. You worded the WHOLE thing anyway. I only did part.

plastroncafe

10-22-2009, 09:51 AM

Ive never watched that because Im not into anime and I know its kinda in that style. Though I dont doubt its a good cartoon since Ive never seen it and I dont like judging something Ive never tryed but does it come out anymore?

I didn't watch the show for the very same reason.
Then the peer pressure took hold and I gave it a try, and I'm oh so glad I did. Oh sure there are some Anime conventions that sort of remove the suspension of my disbelief, but the characters and stories are suck that I'm willing to overlook that entirely.

I only see it on thier Nicktoons channel and theyre re-runs. If it is done that only furthers the point that Nick has no good shows anymore (except Spongebob which I said I watch sometimes, its not my favorite show or anything.) Its like all of Nicks failed or completed series goto to die on Nicktoons.

The series itself is over. The creators told the story they wanted to tell, and that was it, and Nick appears to have respected that. If nothing else that's a boon for Nick.

I know there is gonna be a live-action Avatar movie, which I assume since I dont follow the cartoon, is the end for that series...at least for the time being, not saying itll fail or anything. There will probably be a sequel and whatnot since its come this far.

Ugh....this is totally a conversation for another thread, but the live action movie has the rabid Avatar fanbase in an uproar over the casting.
But yeah...there is a live action movie coming out soon directed by M. Night. Shyamalan.

As far as Nicktoons, the only bad press I know of them having is with the creators bucking the system for what ever reason (ex: Invader Zim & Ren and Stimpy). But since the creators aren't really in the picture here...maybe that won't be an issue?

Only time will tell there.

Kendamu

10-22-2009, 10:46 AM

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/10/mutant-ninja-turtles-coming-to-play-with-spongebob-and-dora-at-nickelodeon.html

For Nickelodeon, the move is part of an ongoing strategy to to attract more boys to the channel. Over the past five years, Nickelodeon's reach among boys 6-11 has fallen by almost 10%, and by 6% in the 9-14 category. Rivals including Walt Disney Co., new cable network Disney XD and Time Warner's Cartoon Network, both have programming that is aimed directly at boys and young teens.

Nickelodeon, on the other hand, has often tried to make shows that appeal to both boys and girls, such as its cartoon shows "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Dora the Explorer," or primarily girls such as is the case with its live action shows "iCarly" and "True Jackson, VP."

The deal is also a change in direction in the type of programming Nickelodeon typically carries, where cartoons tend to be soft and cerebral. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" follows the adventures of four mutant turtles who fight evil from their home base in the New York City sewer system and are guided by their leader, a rat named Master Splinter.

"Action adventure has not been part of our DNA," said Nickeloden President Cyma Zarghami in an interview. This acquisition, she added, will let the network "stretch our brand and embrace a lot more stuff."

Seems that they don't plan on turning it into "Mikey the Explorer" or "Sponge Don Shell Pants." Seems to me that they're planning on making the Turtles do Ninja things when the evil Shredder attacks.

Sure, I still think it sucks that the comics are likely done forever. As I said before, though, the only thing I regret is not having a CaW TPB. There are TPBs for the first several issues and RtNY, but not CAW. So, it feels kind of incomplete to me.

Other than that, though, I'm not too worried. Worst case scenario is that I have 25 years of other stuff to look back upon.

Andrew NDB

10-22-2009, 10:55 AM

As I said before, though, the only thing I regret is not having a CaW TPB. There are TPBs for the first several issues and RtNY, but not CAW. So, it feels kind of incomplete to me.

Buy an extra set of copies of CAW's issues. Rip out the spines. Hole punch and bind... BAM, CAW TPB.

Kendamu

10-22-2009, 11:01 AM

Buy an extra set of copies of CAW's issues. Rip out the spines. Hole punch and bind... BAM, CAW TPB.
I knew there was a reason I liked you.

General Traag

10-22-2009, 11:12 AM

I feel bad for the comic fans but overall that doesn't sound like all bad news to me.

Peanut

10-22-2009, 11:36 AM

What I'm trying to wrap my head around is how people are actually going to miss a comic series that hasn't even been decent, let alone good, since the early 90's.

And you've got all these people saying they're sad the comics will never get a chance to make it big...well Jesus Christ, people...they've been around for 25 years. If you haven't broken into the "big picture" in 25 years, it has nothing to do with people not knowing you're there, especially when you're the basis for one of the largest franchises in the 90's. It has everything to do with the quality of what you're pushing. Those comics haven't been good for almost two decades.

And this is coming from a huge fan of the comics, someone who owns almost every issue of every Mirage series, and even the Image sh*t. I love those comics as much as you guys do, but open your f*cking eyes. They've been terrible for years, and with the exception of a few issues here and there throughout Vol. 4, they've been horrendous.

That's why I really can't say I care. Yes, there's a big pain in my heart for the comic series I've loved more than any other for the past 20 years, but I'm being realistic.

Cipher

10-22-2009, 11:59 AM

If you haven't broken into the "big picture" in 25 years, it has nothing to do with people not knowing you're there, especially when you're the basis for one of the largest franchises in the 90's. It has everything to do with the quality of what you're pushing. Those comics haven't been good for almost two decades.I've got to disagree with this. The quality's subjective, but you'd be astounded by the number of people who really never have heard of the comic, even within the industry. Mirage simply sucked *ss with promoting the comics. No adverstisements through their other media, no bookstore trades, low runs of reprints, etc. And just because you have two successful cartoons doesn't mean that any of those kids are going to go research the franchise's origins.

So I guess there's a huge silver-lining in that if Nick decides to take the Turtles in a direction besides complete and total camp, they might actually take the time to go republish some of the old stuff. And, you know, actually make it available and noticable.

ToTheNines

10-22-2009, 12:00 PM

What I'm trying to wrap my head around is how people are actually going to miss a comic series that hasn't even been decent, let alone good, since the early 90's.

And you've got all these people saying they're sad the comics will never get a chance to make it big...well Jesus Christ, people...they've been around for 25 years. If you haven't broken into the "big picture" in 25 years, it has nothing to do with people not knowing you're there, especially when you're the basis for one of the largest franchises in the 90's. It has everything to do with the quality of what you're pushing. Those comics haven't been good for almost two decades.

The vast majority of Tales volume 2 has been great, that's what I'm sad about. I don't really give a sh*t what happens to Volume 4, but it would have been cool to see it wrapped up.

And no one said they wanted the comics to "make it big", they were just discussing it being published by Marvel or DC.

XERO

10-22-2009, 12:03 PM

Is Raphael still a vampire or something in the comics?

Peanut

10-22-2009, 12:03 PM

I've got to disagree with this. The quality's subjective, but you'd be astounded by the number of people who really never have heard of the comic, even within the industry. Mirage simply sucked *ss with promoting the comics. No adverstisements through their other media, no bookstore trades, low runs of reprints, etc. And just because you have two successful cartoons doesn't mean that any of those kids are going to go research the franchise's origins.

It doesn't matter. If something is noteworthy, and truly that good, it's going to get recognition, no matter what circumstances its distribution might be dealing with. This is an argument that all TMNT comic fans, myself included, have hung our proverbial hats on for years. Take a step back, for just a moment, and admit that we've defended this notion because of our love for the series.

And no one said they wanted the comics to "make it big"

Actually, they did. Earlier in the thread. I read it yesterday.

ToTheNines

10-22-2009, 12:11 PM

Is Raphael still a vampire or something in the comics?

Gameraph is still in business, as is "Honey, we shrunk the Don".

Actually, they did. Earlier in the thread. I read it yesterday.

Hm, didn't notice. I agree with you on that though, wasn't gonna happen.

Cipher

10-22-2009, 12:11 PM

It doesn't matter. If something is noteworthy, and truly that good, it's going to get recognition, no matter what circumstances its distribution might be dealing with. This is an argument that all TMNT comic fans, myself included, have hung our proverbial hats on for years. Take a step back, for just a moment, and admit that we've defended this notion because of our love for the series.I suppose that's reasonable. I've never thought that any Turtles material post-"City at War" (which was that good) was particularly groundbreaking. But I personally enjoyed it, and I've no doubt that it could've been somewhat (a minor somewhat) more successful with better marketing.

There were still a lot of comic fans who wouldn't even give it a fair shake, assuming it had died out, assuming it was for kids, disregarding it because it was in black and white, etc. A lot of people didn't even give it the chance to say "This sucks," or "I like this."

Actually, they did. Earlier in the thread. I read it yesterday.Yeah, I did say something to that effect. Probably a bit much.

The more I think about it, the more my ideal scenario goes like this (which is what I just posted over in the comics board):

Pete finishes up Volume 4 and gives the series a real ending. Nick or a third-party company handles properly marketed trades and re-issues.

I'm not bemoaning the end of the series (it has to happen sometime), and yeah, it hasn't all been gold. I just want to see it properly concluded and at least given its fair shake. Maybe the buyout will actually help it do that. So who knows? I'm warming up to it.