Original series and 2k3 series DVD concerns...who owns them?

[CyberCubed]

Now that Nick has bought TMNT, what happens to the DVD releases of the original cartoon and 2k3 series?

Will Lionsgate still be allowed to release the final seasons of the original series on DVD? And what about the 2k3 series?

[DrSpengler]

Now that Nick has bought TMNT, what happens to the DVD releases of the original cartoon and 2k3 series?

Will Lionsgate still be allowed to release the final seasons of the original series on DVD? And what about the 2k3 series?

Fred Wolf Films owns every episode of the 80s cartoon, lock stock and barrel. Mirage had 0 rights to them and Fred Wolf Films (through Lionsgate) could release them with or without Mirage's consent (it just so happens Mirage chose to cooperate with advertising and DVD packaging art, etc).

Presumably, that set up remains the same even though Nick now owns the TMNT franchise. Lionsgate can still release the Old Toon on DVD because they have full ownership of that series.


As for the 2k3 series? I dunno about that one.

[Newton Gimmick]

Wouldn't be surprised if Nick buys up the old TV show rights before long.

[CyberCubed]

Wouldn't be surprised if Nick buys up the old TV show rights before long.

Unlikely. Nick has a new CG TMNT series coming in 2012.

They're not going to care about some old 80's toon or 4kids TMNT series. Which is why I worry about the DVD releases.

[gobo]

*insert ignorant question here* :embarass:

[ToTheNines]

Umm.... I think OT is fine.

And I'll take this as good news for the NT, 4kids was obviously doing a sh*tty job finding a distributor, so Nick might help with that.

The only thing I'm really worried about is the new movie, and I'm upset over the comics...

[CyberCubed]

Lionsgate never did offer the original series to sale to Mirage, mainly because Peter didn't feel like buying it, but I wonder if Nick offered Lionsgate a good deal of money, they could purchase the original show like they did the 4kids one.

I really hope they don't though, at least not yet. I'd rather Lionsgate quickly release Season 9 and 10, along with the 3 skipped eps, before any deal is made.

If the old toon gets re-released on DVD again later on, then so be it, but I prefer if Lionsgate finishes the run.

[Tuxedo Moroboshi]

Unlikely. Nick has a new CG TMNT series coming in 2012.

They're not going to care about some old 80's toon or 4kids TMNT series.

You may want to take a look at the last, most bottom paragraph of this article (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-ninja22-2009oct22,0,5755590.story).

[Kendamu]

You may want to take a look at the last, most bottom paragraph of this article (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-ninja22-2009oct22,0,5755590.story).
Y'know what I'd like to see out of that? Reruns of the OT on Nick. That would kick so much ass. Reruns of 2k3 would be cool, too, but the OT hasn't been on US television in forever.

[Cipher]

If anything this is good news for seeing the rest of the 4Kids cartoon on DVD. Nick, I think, tends to be pretty good about DVD releases, don't they?

[Kendamu]

I don't collect a lot of Nick stuff, but their Avatar DVDs were good. First singles, then they went back and did Season releases once those became the norm.

Hopefully this means Turtles Forever on DVD.

[hudemx]

Hopefully Lionsgate wont sell the DVD Rights!

C'mon its only 2 Sets till (almost) the complet OT is on DVD!

Also it would be a pain in the ***, because all the DVD Labels around the World which have now a Deal with Lionsgate would be scrued because Paramount would get the Worldwide DVD Rights!

[Kendamu]

Well, maybe Lionsgate will finish out their releases then sell the OT if they so choose to sell the OT at all. It isn't like they have to do it right this minute just because Mirage did the same a day or four ago. They don't even have to do it at all.

It would be nice for one company to own all of this stuff, though. It gives greater potential for future material to draw from many sources without having to deal with a whole bunch of copyright issues.

[CyberCubed]

Well the 2k3 series will apparently be airing on Nick as reruns, so if they're going to air the series on TV they'll probably give it DVD releases.

Its just the original cartoon that I wonder about.

[veemonjosh]

If anything this is good news for seeing the rest of the 4Kids cartoon on DVD. Nick, I think, tends to be pretty good about DVD releases, don't they?

Except for some of the insane prices that their boxsets go for ($60 for just one season of Avatar?!?), they're pretty good at releasing their properties on DVD.

A hell of a lot better than Disney, at any rate.

[Leonardo_Warrior_Turtle]

I just hope that Nick makes a effort to release full season sets of the show. None of this 'Part 1 or 2' BS that Funimation did. I want all 26 episodes from each season on the set TOGETHER. If I can get all 2k3 episodes (FF and BTTS included) I'll be a happy camper. If Turtles Forever is indeed the end of the 2k3 universe as we know it, it deserves to be on DVD properly.

[Kendamu]

Same here. Hopefully all this stop-and-go incomplete DVD release junk might actually come to an end now that we've got one company managing everything without sending people into creative burnout.

[Spitfire]

This might be a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyway just to shut my curiosity up.

The buy out was of both Mirage and 4Kids correct? This means that after whatever the end date is they no longer have rights to produce anything turtles, except the 18 comics. So this means Nick basically now owns the 2K3 series. Since it's pretty obvious at this time 4Kids will never finish releasing the series on DVD properly my question is really more of a statement.

This means if we want BTTS we will have to buy it from Australia, unless Nick takes pity on us and decides to release the series. This also raises questions about the future of the Turtles Forever movie. If it's not released by the cut off point what will it's fate be?

Secondly I wanted to address Lion's Gate. I'm fairly positive they are unaffected by this. Fred Wolf had all the rights to the old series and LG wasn't even required to keep Mirage in the loop about the DVD releases. So with that said we should still be getting the last 2 seasons of the old toon, and hopefully a complete series set, with no problem. However I'm not sure how that legally works since the turtles likeness has been sold completely.

[Kendamu]

We have been talking about it (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=28732) a little already, but from what's going on it seems that after August of 2010 Nick will own everything except the OT. However, Nick is looking into getting the rights for the OT as well. With so little left for Lionsgate to put on DVD, I'm guessing we'll get the whole thing before they let Nick have it.

[Spitfire]

Well with that much time it might even be possible to get BTTS released here. That also makes me worry less about Turtles Forever being released. I have no clue why Nick wants to buy the OT unless they plan on re-running it. That's probably what they want to do since it's so popular and has yet to see the light of day on TV in over a decade.

I missed that topic completely so sorry for making another similar one.

[Kendamu]

Maybe they want to freely use the music from the OT or something without having to pay a third party. I dunno. Maybe brand unification works best if you own every aspect of a franchise (aside from a very small-print run comic). Maybe they do wanna air it on Nick in the meantime until their new stuff comes out. With them wanting to focus on the 1980s TV version of the Turtles, it's a smart move to own that part of the property no matter what they actually plan on doing with it.

[Spitfire]

Makes me wonder. Owning the whole brand makes sense. I just hope they do something with it. I know if they aired the old toon it would get ratings. What makes me curious is if they will decide to release their own DVDs. I don't know how good Nick is about that. LG did a pretty decent job, aside from the lazy presentation, but a company with more money like Nick could probably do it better.

[Kendamu]

I own one season of Avatar and I think it's done pretty well. The only thing is that it seems that Nick has a habit of releasing single DVDs first and then compiling them into Seasons a few months later.

[Spitfire]

I hate that. When it comes to turtles I always buy. However if they do end up re-releasing the toons I already own them and unless the box art stomps the old stuff I might be able to suppress my urge to purchase.

[Kendamu]

I can curb my purchasing habits a little more than that, hence why I don't have Season 7 yet (I was waiting for the box set). If Nick does release the OT and it completely curb-stomps the production values of the Lionsgate stuff then I'll gladly re-purchase them. Otherwise, I'll just hope that they air the OT on TV to get the ball rolling on their plans for 2012. All of this, of course, assuming they actually get the OT.

I wonder what their plans are for 2k3, though. They bought out the rest of 4Kids' contract and the rights to the show after August 2010. I wonder if the 2k3 image of the Turtles is going to be partly integrated into the OT image to make Nick's new image.

[Spitfire]

One could only hope. I personally dislike the animation style of most the current toons. They have some fetish with angles and making everything blocky. I'm hoping they want to use the style of 2K3. The real reason is probably character rights. They might want Bishop and such at their disposal.

I'm concerned it might end up looking like the '07 film, at least the movie. I despise that look. Seeing the turtles in CG like that makes me concerned when those words are being tossed around. I just can't get into that kind of animation. It feels hallow to me like I'm watching a video game cut scene.

[ToTheNines]

However, Nick is looking into getting the rights for the OT as well.

Do we know that's true? I mean it doesn't sound ridiculous or anything, but I've only seen it come from one source.

If they do get it, I hope they air both to compare ratings and demographics before deciding how to handle stuff in 2012.

[Kendamu]

This (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-ninja22-2009oct22,0,5755590.story) is the only source I have for Nick wanting the rights to the OT, but it makes complete sense with what Mirage said about Nick wanting to go OT with their new stuff.

[ToTheNines]

Right, I hope they do get them after we finish seasons 9 and 10.

[CyberCubed]

I can see Lionsgate releasing the last two seasons and THEN selling it to Nick.

Lionsgate probably wants to make the last bit of money they can from the series before they sell it off.

[ToTheNines]

But if Nick offers them a few million... I'm sure that will more than make up for two TMNT sets.

[Icebot]

I wonder if Lionsgate is planning to release Once Upon A Time Machine or Planet of The Turtleoids as well. Those episodes still have yet to be released too. And in Season 10, 4 of the episodes were already released as bonus episodes on the first DVD.