Monday, April 03, 2017

Nickelodeon News Bytes - Monday 3rd April 2017

NickALive!'s pick of Nickelodeon news, highlights and more from around the internet!:


- Matthew Underwood has become a real life hero! The Zoey 101 star, who played bad boy 'Logan' in the hit Nick series, intervened when he witnessed a terrible car crash happen, and that is when he was able to rescue a 4-month-old baby from the backseat of the car! As well as Zoey 101, Matthew also voiced thuggish Firebender 'Hide' in Avatar: The Last Airbender!;

- Actor Josh Peck (Snow Day, The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) visits downtown Phoenix for Final Four;

- House of Anubis star Ana Mulvoy-Ten (SIBUNA) talks about fans and her latest role as 'Shae Reese' in American Crime season 3!;

- Interview with Isabela Moner from Transformers: The Last Knight, Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Movie and 100 Things to Do Before High School!;

- Ariana Grande had a mini Victorious reunion at her concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California on Friday when she reunited with two of her former Victorious castmates - Leon Thomas III and Matt Bennett, ho played Andre and Robbie, respectively - backstage!;

- Zoey 101 and Victorious star Victoria Justice 'humbled' by her time at Nickelodeon;

- Happy 26th Birthday to Unfabulous star Hayley Kiyoko! To celebrate the actors birthday, here are 5 times Hayley spoke up for representation!;

- Evolving the TV advertising business (ft. Viacom Vantage);

- 13 90s Nickelodeon UK characters we still identify with (inc. Sister, Sister and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch);

- Are Nickelodeon stars Kira Kosarin & Riele Downs switching places on TV;

- You know you're a '90s kid when... (inc. Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Amanda Show and Rugrats)
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

Megan Lee Reportedly Confirms No Plans For More "Make It Pop"

Actor Megan Lee, who portrayed Sun Hi in Make It Pop, has reportedly confirmed the unfortunate news during a recent live stream that there are currently no plans to make a third season of Nickelodeon's musical comedy series.


MAKE IT POP SEASON 2 GALLERY: Pictured: CORKI (ERIKA THAM), SUN HI (MEGAN LEE), JODI (LOURIZA TRONCO), CALEB (DALE WHIBLEY) in MAKE IT POP SEASON 2 on Nickelodeon. Photo: Steve Wilke/Nickelodeon. © 2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Make It Pop is a comedic, music-infused daily strip about three unique girls who come together to start their own K-Pop-inspired band. Randomly selected to room together at boarding school, bookish Corki (Erika Tham), fashion-forward Jodi (Louriza Tronco) and social media maven Sun Hi (Megan Lee) meet and bond over music. With the help of fellow classmate and aspiring DJ, Caleb (Dale Whibley), the girls grow from roommates to bandmates as their group, XO-IQ, becomes a school-wide sensation.

In season two, faced with bigger challenges and higher stakes in season two, XO-IQ experiences a number of setbacks. Corki is in danger of being removed from Mackendrick Prep by her father, Jodi is deciding if she should pursue her love of fashion, and now that Sun Hi is clashing with hotshot guitarist Linc Harrison (Vinson Tran), it looks like XO-IQ might be over, until a new band competition and rival boy band named L3 EP emerge and change everything.


MAKE IT POP : "Think" --Epi 201, Pictured: Corki (Erika Tham), Sun Hi (Megan Lee) and Jodi (Louriza Tronco) in MAKE IT POP on Nickelodeon Photo: Stephen Scott/Nickelodeon. © 2015 Viacom International, Inc All Rights Reserved.

Make It Pop ran for 41 episodes over two seasons and one special.

Make It Pop is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch (The Other Kingdom) and entertainment magnate Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Lynch and Cannon served as executive producers together with DHX Media's Steven DeNure and Anne Loi. The musical direction of the series was led by Bill Silva Entertainment, with music supervision by Peter Coquillard and Pilar McCurry for Silva Music Publishing. XO-IQ is managed by Bill Silva Management.

H/T: ToonZone Forums member kanc; Additional source: Wikipedia.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Make It Pop News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon Brazil And Nick Jr. Brazil Debuts "Nella The Princess Knight"

Nickelodeon Brazil and Nick Jr. Brazil today, Monday 3rd April 2017, started to premiere and show Nickelodeon's brand-new animated preschool series Nella the Princess Knight! Locally titled Nella, Uma Princesa Corajosa (Nella, A Courageous Princess), the series introduces viewers to Nickelodeon's first-ever Princess, and airs weekdays at 09:00 on Nickelodeon Brasil and weekdays at 11:00 (encores at 15:30 and 19:30 and 23:00) on Nick Jr. Brasil.


In Nella the Princess Knight, preschoolers will set off on thrilling adventures in a kingdom far away where there lives a… Princess Knight! Nickelodeon's new animated preschool series follows Nella, an unconventional 8-year-old who possesses the royal qualities of a princess, like compassion and grace, while also embodying the courage and determination of a brave knight. Whenever a problem arises, Nella embarks on daring quests to save her kingdom through her unique ability to transform from a princess into Nella the Princess Knight. Nella the Princess Knight (40 half-hour episodes) features a social-emotional curriculum promoting self-confidence, inclusiveness and compassion for others.


Nella is a confident 8-year-old princess who likes dancing at extravagant balls just as much as she likes meeting fire-breathing dragons. She transcends traditional roles and expectations through her ability to transform into Nella the Princess Knight, protecting her kingdom with the help of her friends: Trinket, Nella’s glamorous unicorn and best friend; Sir Garrett, a loyal and adventurous knight; and Clod, Garrett’s trusty steed.


In the series premiere, "Princess Nella's Orc-hestra"/"The Blaine Game" (#101), a wild orc disrupts Nella's concert. Later, Blaine thinks he can do everything better than Nella, and sets out to prove it by finding the famous pink polka-dotted dragon egg.



Robert Vargas (head writer, Zack and Quack) serves as an executive producer on Nella the Princess Knight and the series is created by Christine Ricci (curriculum advisor, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Dora la Exploradora). It is the newest show to join Nick’s top-ranked preschool roster, airing alongside hit series like PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines and Shimmer and Shine.


Nella the Princess Knight also debuted on Nickelodeon Latinoamérica today. Locally titled Nella, Una Princesa Valiente, the series airs during Nickelodeon Latin America's popular preschool programming block, Nick Jr. Latinoamérica.

Nickelodeon launched Nella the Princess Knight globally on Nick Jr. USA on Monday 6th February 2017, and will be rolling out the series internationally in spring 2017.

Source: Anime, Mangá e TV.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Preschool, Nick Jr. Brazil and Nella the Princess Knight News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" And Stan Sakai's "Usagi Yojimbo" Reunite This July

Official Dark Horse Comics and IDW Press Release via DarkHorse.com and Action Figure Insider:

NICKELODEON’S "TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES" AND STAN SAKAI’S "USAGI YOJIMBO" REUNITE THIS JULY


Dark Horse Comics and IDW Present a Reunion 20 Years in the Making!


San Diego, CA (April 2, 2017) – Coming this summer, two decades after their last encounter, comic book universes collide as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles step foot into the world of Usagi Yojimbo in a special one-shot comic.


The legendary creator of Usagi Yojimbo, Stan Sakai, will write and illustrate a new adventure which sees ronin rabbit Miyamoto Usagi cross paths with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Miyamoto Usagi has embarked on a quest to save Japan, and combining forces with the Heroes in a Half Shell to take on the maniacal Jei may be the only path to coming out of this alive.


“I had wanted to reunite Usagi and the TMNT for a while, but these are not the Turtles that he knew,” said Stan Sakai. “Relationships have to be reestablished, suspicions overcome, and trust earned. The survival of all Japan literally rests on them working as a team.”

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo franchises have a long history, previously appearing together in their respective comics, animated television series, and the popular TMNT line of toys.

“Stan and I both started out the same year, 1984, and here we are still living the dream telling stories with characters we created over three decades ago,” said Kevin Eastman, cocreator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. “I love the fact that our two creations were intertwined from the beginning and could not be more thrilled that Stan is coming back to tell a new story in the IDW TMNT comics universe.”

This exciting crossover event will be available this July in standard comic book format as well as in an amazing deluxe hardcover collector’s edition. Both editions feature exclusive extras including layouts, pinups, character studies, and more. Be sure to ask your local comic shop about the special variant cover by David Petersen of Mouse Guard fame.

About IDW
IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: IDWM) is a fully integrated media company, which includes publishing, games, entertainment, and the San Diego Comic Art Gallery.IDW Publishing’s comic book and graphic novel catalog includes some of the world’s most popular entertainment brands, including Transformers, My Little Pony, Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and Disney’s classic characters. At IDW’s core is its commitment to creator-owned comics including 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, Wormwood, Ragnarök, V-Wars, and Archangel by bestselling sci-fi author William Gibson.

IDW Publishing is also home to the acclaimed and award-winning imprints; Top Shelf, The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books, and Artist Editions, showcasing the greatest original art ever published in American comic books.

IDW Games’ diverse line-up includes the international phenomenon Machi Koro, as well as hit licensed games such as X-Files, Back to the Future, The Godfather, and TMNT.

IDW Entertainment serves as the worldwide distributor of Wynonna Earp airing on the Syfy Channel in the U.S. and is producing BBC America’s Dirk Gently, based on the best seller by Douglas Adams starring Elijah Wood and Sam Barnett.

About Dark Horse
For more than thirty years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

About Stan Sakai

Stan Sakai was born in Kyoto, Japan, grew up in Hawaii, and now lives in California with his wife Julie. He has two children, Hannah and Matthew, and two stepchildren, Daniel and Emi. Stan received a fine arts degree from the University of Hawaii and furthered his studies at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Stan’s creation Usagi Yojimbo first appeared in comics in 1984. Since then, Usagi has been on television as a guest of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and has been made into toys, seen on clothing, and featured in a series of graphic novel collections.

In 1991, Stan created Space Usagi, a series dealing with samurai in a futuristic setting, featuring the adventures of a descendant of the original Usagi. Additionally, Stan created Senso, set 15 years in the future, featuring an intriguing amaglmation of War of the Worlds meets Feudal Japan – where martians attack Usagi and his friends in an all out battle.

Stan is also an award-winning letterer for his work on Sergio Aragonés’s Groo, working with Stan Lee for Spider-Man Sunday newspaper strips, and Usagi Yojimbo.

Stan is the recipient of a Parents’ Choice Award, an Inkpot Award, an American Library Association Award, five Spanish Haxtur Awards, several Eisner Awards, and an Inkwell Award. In 2003 he won the prestigious National Cartoonists Society Award in the Comic Book division, and in 2011 Stan received the Cultural Ambassador Award from the Japanese American National Museum. In 2016, Stan became a multiple Harvey Award winner, winning one of the foundation’s highest honors for Best Cartoonist.

###

More Nick: Nickelodeon Reimagines The Iconic "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" In All-New 2D Animated Series, "Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon Properties Headline Viacom's Content Slate At MIPTV 2017

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is presenting a wide range of content from Nickelodeon, MTV, Channel 5, Spike, BET, VH1 and Comedy Central to MIPTV buyers in Cannes this week.

Headlining Nickelodeon's portfolio is the networks latest live-action series Hunter Street, which is making its international debut at MIPTV.


Hunter Street

The Blooming Media-produced Hunter Street (pictured) debuted in the US on March 13. Shot in Amsterdam, it combines the iconic city’s setting with Nickelodeon-style comedy, mystery, action and adventure. The series was co-developed with the Nickelodeon Netherlands series, De Ludwigs and will air on Nickelodeon international channels this spring.


Nella the Princess Knight

Also on Viacom International Media Networks’ (VIMN) kids' MIPTV slate is the buddy comedy Bunsen is a Beast and Nickelodeon's newest animated preschool series, Nella the Princess Knight. Both series debuted earlier this year in the United States to more than 1.1 million total viewers respectively.


Bunsen is a Beast

VIMN is also selling Comedy Central’s adult-themed animation Jeff & Some Aliens and Lorne Michaels- and Joason Sudeikis-produced sitcom Detroiters; and MTV reality series Ex on the Beach, Catfish: The TV Show and Are You the One?.

Debuting on the unscripted front are finished and format rights to Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, in which the unlikely pals host dinner parties for their celebrity friends.

Another major format is Spike’s in-car, karaoke-style format Caraoke Showdown, while Get Your Tats Out: Kavos Ink is a UK format from Viacom-owned terrestrial Channel 5. Joining them on VIMN's MIPTV 2017 slate is Lip Sync Battle and Inside.

“With an extensive slate of fresh and innovative programming and formats – spanning kids, general entertainment, scripted and an increasing amount of high-quality factual – Viacom’s portfolio at MIPTV offers something for every audience and schedule,” said Caroline Beaton, Senior Vice President (SVP) of international programme sales.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be introducing our international partners to such a range of brand new shows, reinforcing our ongoing commitment to being best in class when it comes to producing and distributing must-have programming.”

MIPTV takes place between Monday 3rd - Thursday 6th April 2017 in Cannes, France.

More Nick: Rainbow Announces "Regal Academy" Season Two; To Showcase Second Season At MIPTV 2017!

Sources: TBI Vision, TVKIDS, Wikipedia, ToonZone Forums member D-nice is the man.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Viacom International Media Networks News and Highlights!