Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation

[JoeD80]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

Your confusing the rights to the TMNT franchise with the rights to the show.

No, I don't believe I am. It's there in the end credits (this from the old cartoon credits):

"Executive Producer: Mark Freedman"
"This program is produced pursuant to an exclusive license granted by Surge Licensing."

If Surge had pulled the license, Murakami-Wolf-Swenson wouldn't have been able to produce the show anymore legally. I assume the deal was similar with Saban.

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

Surge licensing sold people the right to do stuff with the TMNT characters, but Surge doesn't and never has owned any part of the Turtles.

They don't sell the rights, they only license them. It's not the same thing. It's like when Pocket Books does Star Trek stuff. It's a license, not a purchase. I didn't say they owned the TMNT; only the television rights (and other licensing rights, toys, etc. e.g. Playmates interfaced with Surge.) Surge manages all the licenses, or they did still at least at the time of the 1997 show.

EDIT: I found a specific mention of Saban/Surge and the show where it's clear that it's up to Surge (from 1998, I assume they are talking of VHS), although I guess Disney or whoever would have to want to release it first...hmm....:

In other Turtle news, Surge Licensing, worldwide licensor for the Turtles, has licensed Saban Entertainment, co-producer of the show, to distribute the episodes to the home video market later in the year.