Monday, January 09, 2023

Paramount CP Teases Upcoming 'SpongeBob' Highlights

In a recent interview with Toy World Magazine, Venetia Davie, VP, Paramount Consumer Products, UK & Ireland, ANZ & Israel teased some of Paramount Global's exciting plans for Nickelodeon's beloved animated series SpongeBob SquarePants over the next few years!


What started as a Nickelodeon show can now also be found on Paramount+ as well as multiple content touchpoints including memes going out across socials such as TikTok and YouTube. "In terms of social media engagement, SpongeBob is the brand that gets one of the most impressions," states Venetia. "When I look at other markets on SpongeBob, it never ceases to amaze me how unbelievably he performs in consumer- packaged goods and food. We have taken some key learnings from other markets and have some exciting new projects launching in this space in 2023."

In the last two years, the brand has moved more into fast fashion and its recent collaboration with Sideman in the UK was very successful. "What I love about SpongeBob is that he is an icon for positivity. You could not get a more positive role model," Venetia enthuses. The brand is also involved with social initiatives such as Operation Sea Change, a new global ocean conservation and sustainability initiative from Paramount Consumer Products and Nickelodeon. The initiative aims to help remove and divert 5m lbs of ocean plastic over the next four years by funding clean-up projects. Paramount Consumer Products will also work with current SpongeBob SquarePants consumer products partners to drive more sustainable practices and reduce single- use plastic in products, as well as curating partnerships with new brands to create innovative product lines.

Venetia also mentions there will be some other "very exciting partnerships" that will hit the UK from next summer through 2024 and 2025. "It is a brand that will just keep on going," she concludes.

In the same interview, Venetia also revealed that Paramount Global is also set to ramp up content for its Paramount+ streaming service which arrived on screens in the U.K. & Ireland in June. It's a move which has been highly successful, Venetia Davie, VP Consumer Products, UK & Ireland, ANZ & Israel explains, as she discusses how streaming is becoming incredibly important in terms of sharing content. "We are building that global footprint and we are really using the power of our network to drive streaming. For instance, we talk about Paramount+ on our Nickelodeon channels and Channel 5 and we are building a great home for content," she tells Toy World. "We know that when you have kids' content, it brings that family audience together so it's a real point of difference. Paramount+ really helps us to position ourselves as a global entertainment company."

Paramount+ UK & Ireland is HERE! Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Originally published: January 09, 2023.

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Paramount Fetes TMNT's 40th Anniversary, 'Mutant Mayhem' and Franchise Relaunch

2023 is set to be a huge year for Paramount as it celebrates some significant milestones, including the return to the big screen of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a second movie release for one of the hottest pre-school properties around, PAW Patrol.


One of the most exciting developments for Paramount in 2023 will be the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, Mutant Mayhem. The ‘heroes in a half shell' celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2024 and Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo continue to garner a new audience to add to those generations of loyal fans who have been supporting them for decades. “This is the ultimate relaunch for the ultimate boys' brand," Venetia Davie, VP, Paramount Consumer Products, UK & Ireland, ANZ & Israel told Toy News Magazine. “What we are super excited about is the fact that it's not just all about toys and kids-it is such a multi-generational franchise, and we are so excited about celebrating 40 years of the brand in 2024. It's an incredible achievement."

Paramount has carried out global consumer research on the brand and found that more than half of adult Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans have children between the ages of 6 and 11. "So we have a demographic that loves Turtles - they grew up with it and remember it- and they also have in their family that direct demographic that we are looking to target," states Venetia.

There has already been a consumer product collaboration with skate brand Supreme and, in the toy space, there have been collaborations with Stranger Things, a co-branded toy line for adults with Cobra-Kai, and with Street Fighter. “We have been seeding this market for the last two years and in toys, our collector business grew about 150% over the last year, so we already know that people are starting to buy product," enthuses Venetia.

Other important areas are video games – Paramount launched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, a relaunch of a classic game, achieving l million downloads in first six weeks - and publishing, which, Venetia says, demonstrates how strong the core fanbase is. "Now we are really turning our attention from that shift of the adult audience back down to the kid audience," she adds.

The CG-animated movie, directed by Seth Rogen, will hit UK cinemas on 11th August 2023. “You could not ask for a more relevant director to appeal to both adults and kids. The movie has humour and a vibrant New York aesthetic," Venetia tells us. “It plays back to all the things that cool about the Turtles and has a brilliant animation style." When details of the name, director and release date were revealed, it was announced with a New York graffiti style poster, which attracted over 50m impressions on social media.

Venetia adds that while Paramount already had a brilliant long-term master toy partner in Playmates, it also has an exciting new distribution partnership with Character Options to look forward to in 2023: "The Character Options showroom in Manchester looks so impressive, and the team has done a phenomenal job. They are the perfect partner to bring the toy programme to market in the UK." Reactions at previews in Los Angeles and the UK have been extremely positive, and the full range will be on show at Character Options' stand at the London Toy Fair.

The roll-out programme will extend beyond the movie with content on every platform and some big video game releases. "As you would expect, we are looking at using the power of our network, whether that is Nickelodeon, Paramount+ or Channel 5," explains Venetia.

With 2024 being the 40th anniversary, there will also be some big fashion collaborations in the works, along with a whole year of celebrations.

The iconic, globally beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in 2023 with a brand new CG-animated film distributed by Paramount Pictures. The movie is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and the world-renowned comedian and actor, Seth Rogan (Point Grey Pictures). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will be released theatrically on 11th August 2023 in the UK, featuring an all-new iteration of the Turtles as well as new character designs and talent. The first half of 2023 will focus on the heritage of the franchise. With a substantial multi-generational fandom, Paramount will look to engage evergreen fans with retro thematics and collectible products. The second half of 2023 will raise awareness amongst the next generation of fans with an all-new movie range from Playmates, distributed via Character Options.

Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!



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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for January 9, 2023 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for January 9, 2023 | Nickelodeon


Stream the classic and the all new CG-animated Rugrats series on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Paramount+ Renews 'Rugrats' For Season 3; Season 2 to Premiere in 2023!

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Original 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Cast Reunites in-Costume as the Gaang

The cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender reunite in-costume, reciting some of their most memorable lines from Nickelodeon's beloved animated show.


The cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender recently reunited at SacAnime and actors Mae Whitman and Dante Basco showed the event off by gathering their former co-stars and getting them to repeat one of their most memorable lines from the show. Making it that much better was the fact that many of them appeared in costume as their respective Team Avatar members.

Whitman, who played Katara; and Basco, who played Prince Zuko, shared a short clip and a photo of the reunion on social media. First appearing in the clip was Basco, not in costume, saying, "I must regain my honor." Next was actor Jennie Kwan as Suki, who said, "You can be strong and feminine at the same time." She was followed by Olivia Hack as Ty Lee with "My aura has never been pinker!" Then came actor Greg Baldwin, dressed as Iroh, saying, "If you look for the light, you will often find it." Cricket Leigh appeared as Mai, saying, "I love Zuko more than I fear you."

James Sie appeared dressed as the Cabbage Merchant, followed by Jack De Sena, who jokingly misquoted Sokka saying, "Love is brightest in the dark," before offering up, "Water Tribe!" Next was actor Michaela Jill Murphy (referred to as Jessie Flower in the show's credits) dressed as Toph. She said, "Look, there it is! That's what it'll sound like when one of you spots it," topping it off with the hand gesture. Last, but not least, there was actor Grey DeLisle, armored up as Azula, saying, "You're banished from the Fire Nation for all time!"


This reunion at SACAnime was definitely unexpected for fans, but it is great to see the gang together once more. It isn't every day you get to reunite with old friends, after all, and it is even rarer for actors to reunite like this with their busy schedules.










Photos: Mae Whitman/Instagram


Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered in 2005, introducing audiences to the Four Nations-- with each nation revolving around one of four elements, each inspired by an East Asian culture and people. The series continues to receive praise for tackling serious issues, including genocide, colonialism, loss and different philosophies, among other things. The series came to an end in 2008 after three seasons, with Avatar Aang defeating Fire Lord Ozai and restoring peace to the world. In 2012, Nickelodeon premiered The Legend of Korra, which returned to the world of Avatar years after Aang’s death to follow Korra, his successor as Avatar. That series ran between 2012-2014. Both shows have since continued in best-selling graphic novel series.

ATLA's Lasting Impact, Explained

Avatar: The Last Airbender managed to become an animated show for all ages during its three-season run, catering to many demographics by maintaining its quirky humor while never shying away from important and more mature topics such as genocide, imperialism, the psychological impacts of war, and others. Avatar: The Last Airbender's lovable, unique, and complex characters also went a long way in appealing to viewers, who were thrilled to see a few of those figures, like Toph, return in The Legend of Korra. While Avatar: The Last Airbender was a hit when it first aired, it found a second life through streaming, which allowed established fans to relive the nostalgia as well as introducing the story to a new generation of viewers.

The Four Nations Expand With Avatar Studios

The show's longevity makes it of little surprise that multiple projects within the franchise are being developed, including a highly anticipated live-action Netflix series, which many hope will correct the mistakes of the 2010 The Last Airbender movie. Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have also reunited for several projects in the show's universe, the first of which is animated sequel movie to the show focusing on the beloved characters as adults. While nothing has been confirmed regarding the original voice actors returning for the animated film - although Basco is expected to reprise his role as Fire Prince Zuko - it's clear from the above that they still deeply appreciate their time on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Set for release in 2025, the adult Gaang movie it will kick off a packed slate of new shows and films exploring the Four Nations.

Will Any Original ATLA Stars Return For The Netflix Show?

As for the live-action Netflix series, Sie was previously confirmed to be returning to his comic relief role as the Cabbage Merchant in the upcoming show. Besides Sie, Netflix will tell a new story with a completely different live-action cast, which is fitting since most of the show's characters are children and the voice cast have since grown up. Hopefully, opportunities for the original Avatar: The Last Airbender voice cast to reprise their roles will appear as the animated ATLA universe continues to expand.

Stream Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra on Paramount+ and Netflix! Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com

Listen to the brand new podcast, Avatar: Braving the Elements!





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How to Stream 'Devotion' For FREE on Paramount+

Devotion is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com


Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star in the movie inspired by the incredible true story of Jesse Brown, the first Black Naval pilot, and Tom Hudner, two patriotic heroes who turned the tide of the most brutal battle in the Korean War.

See how their unlikely bond led to taking down Chinese and North Korean planes, protecting the U.S. ground troops from being overrun and ultimately bringing everyone home.

Stream it Devotion exclusively on Paramount+. Try it FREE!

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Originally published: December 09, 2023.

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How to Get 1 Month of Paramount+ FREE - Offer Ends Jan. 31!

The race for the Scudetto rages on. Stream every Serie A match live all season long, only on Paramount+. Try 1 month FREE with promo code SERIEA! Redeem this offer at ParamountPlus.com


Don't miss out on any of the Serie A action. Follow some of the biggest stars in the sport like Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leão and Lautaro Martínez as they try to lead their teams to the Scudetto.

How will the table change going forward? Which club has the best chance of winning it all? Which clubs have the most to lose? Find all the answers and stream every match from Italy's top soccer league live, only on Paramount+. Try 1 month FREE with promo code SERIEA!

Stream every Serie A match live all season long, only on Paramount+. Try 1 month FREE with promo code SERIEA, offer ends 1/31/23!

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


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Nickelodeon UK to Premiere 'Spyders' Season 3 on Monday 9th January 2023

Nickelodeon UK & Ireland will premiere the third season of Nickelodeon's hit international original series, Spyders on Monday 9th January 2023 at 8:00pm! Following launch, new episodes will air Monday-Thursday evenings at 8:00pm on Nick UK & Eire! Additionally, the first two seasons of Spyders have just been added to Paramount+. Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com.

Credit: Noy Dekel

Through its first two seasons, Spyders has delivered strong performances, airing in key Nickelodeon international markets in over 130 countries, including the UK, Australia, Spain, Brazil, Mexico the Netherlands and more. Upon its 2020 debut in Israel, the series became the most successful kids show on Israeli cable network HOT’s TeenNick channel. Around the world, season one launched with stellar results, outperforming slot averages in most key markets. The second season performed even stronger, resulting in the pick-up of two additional seasons, the first of which premiered on TeenNick Israel in December 2021, and will be rolling out onto Nickelodeon channels internationally in 2023.

This series represents a breakthrough in the Israeli television industry, becoming the first original co-production between Nickelodeon International and Israeli production company "Ananey Studios", a division of Paramount Global. Through a unique collaboration with Israeli cable network HOT and Nickelodeon, "Ananey Studios" worked with both partners from Spyders’ conception to adapt the show to appeal to Israeli and international markets.

Credit: Noy Dekel

Spyders follows Daniel (16), Nikki (15) and Tommy (12) who discover their parents, Anna and Noah Fisher, are highly skilled undercover agents who work for ECCO (Environmental Counter Crime Organization) and are tasked with fighting criminals who endanger nature or the environment. In previous seasons, the three kids uncover their parents’ top-secret operation and decide to form a task force of their own, named Spyders.

In season 3, Nikki, Daniel and Tommy travel to an RV campsite to stop a deadly earthquake launched by criminals who want to steal raw diamonds from an underground deposit inside Belleview nature reserve.  With the clock ticking, the Spyders must use their wits and skill to uncover who is behind the earthquakes from within their camp before they cause total devastation.

In season 4, the Spyders return to Belleview reserve to find a mysterious criminal who is secretly spreading toxic amoebas that are rapidly destroying all the plant life in their wake. The Spyders ask a local biologist to create an organic pesticide that can stop the impending disaster. But when the problem persists, they discover a shocking truth behind the mass poisoning.

The currently released episode titles for season three are:

Monday 9th January 2023 - The Mistake: A dangerous criminal escapes from Anna and Noah, who are suspended. Ridden with guilt, the Spyders decide to catch Ernesto themselves, to get their parents their jobs back. (S3, ep 1)

Tuesday 10th January 2023 - The Secret Team: Having tricked their parents into taking a 'holiday' at a nature reserve, the Spyders must uncover the identity of Ernesto's secret team before they wreak havoc again. (S3, ep 2)

Wednesday 11th January 2023 - The Key: Thinking they are Ernesto's accomplices, Daniel befriends Mia and Marco in order to search their belongings, but Tommy has a suspicion of his own. (S3, ep 3)

Thursday 12th January 2023 - The Drone: Nikki brushes off Sean in order to carry on the Spyders' secret mission. Meanwhile, Liam joins the Rangers as a new arrival at the same time as Tommy heads to the construction site to conduct a search.

Monday 16th January 2023 - The Lie: Tommy is caught snooping by the construction workers whilst Nikki is forced to lie to Sean in order to protect the mission. Meanwhile, Daniel creates a copy of the key to the cave.

Tuesday 17th January 2023 - The Anniversary: Nikki grows increasingly suspicious of Liam's behaviour. Meanwhile, Daniel and Tommy face an explosive situation when they return to the cave on a mission and discover more than they expected.

Wednesday 18th January 2023 - The Tarantula: Nikki continues her investigation into Liam. Meanwhile, Anna and Noah put every part of the Spyders' secret mission into jeopardy when they discover Daniel and Tommy and demand the truth.

Thursday 19th January 2023 - The Protest: Liam is suspect number one as Anna and Noah join the Spyders' mission to find Ernesto's accomplices. After becoming convinced that Ernesto's equipment is hidden nearby, Nikki stages a protest.

Spyders is a comedy-adventure series based on an original idea by the founders of Life of Dad, the largest online community of Dads, Tom Riles, David M. Guest and Patrick Quinn. It was developed and written by award winning showrunner Michal Cooper-Keren (North Star, Spell Keepers).

The series' actors include Kim Or Azulai, Kobi Maimon, Nati Kluger, Yaron Brubinsky, Meirav Shirom  Amit Hechter, Naya Federman, Yonatan Gottlieb, Eden Saban, Tal Musari, Yehuda Bohbot, Gilad Kletter, Michal Levy, Ruth Asarsai, Uri Yaniv, Nicole Podobliani, Alon Gavish and others.

Ilan Rosenfeld is the co-head writer of the third season and Nadav Ben Simon is the writer of the fourth season.

Paramount+ UK & Ireland is HERE! Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Originally published: December 29, 2022.

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Nickelodeon USA to Premiere 'The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj' Soon

Nickelodeon USA will be premiering Nickelodeon International's brand new animated series The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj very soon! The news was revealed by writer, producer and artist Allan Neuwirth (Rugrats (2021), Bubble Guppies) on Instagram.


In the caption of his post, Neuwirth said: "A fun new animated series I got to write some eps for is premiering on Nickelodeon this week in the UK (coming to the US soon)! It follows the reality-bending exploits of a pair of Indian-American cousins who pause, rewind, fast-forward, and slow-mo their way into laugh-out-loud exploits courtesy of a mysterious time-altering app. Many thanks to hilarious head writer Jordan Gershowitz for inviting me to join the party!"

With a mysterious time-altering app at their fingertips, Twisted Timeline of Sammy and Raj follows the reality-bending adventures of a pair of cousin-brothers, as they pause, rewind, fast-forward and slow-motion their way into a whole host of rowdy laugh-out-loud exploits.

In the series premiere episode "Birthday Do Over," when cousins Sammy and Raj discover a time-altering app, they attempt to fix every middle school problem that comes their way, which in turn causes a combination of chaos and comedy wherever they go.


Nickelodeon International teamed up with Nickelodeon India, a part of Viacom18 that is a joint venture between Paramount Global (formally ViacomCBS) and Network18, to co-produce The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj. The new series marks the first collaboration between the top kids’ entertainment brand and the leading Indian kids’ category brand from India’s fastest growing entertainment network.

The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj was commissioned in September 2020, with animation and storyboards for the new 20 x 30-minute 2D animated series being developed in India, scripting in the U.S. and U.K., and casting being initiated in the U.S.

Chris Rose, VP, Animation, Nickelodeon International and Anu Sikka, Head Creative, Content & Research, Kids TV Network at Viacom18 are overseeing the project. The head writer of the series is Jordan Gershowitz.

“The popularity of international content is on the rise, and Nickelodeon is focused on meeting the rising demand for diverse, creative stories for a global audience. This groundbreaking partnership with Viacom18 goes beyond kids’ content, as we look to embrace greater diversity both on-screen and behind the camera,” said Jules Borkent, Executive Vice President, Kids & Family, ViacomCBS Networks International.

In Nickelodeon's original announcement for the show, Nina Hahn, the former Senior Vice President of International Production & Development at Nickelodeon International, stated: “In the creative world, geographic borders have diminished, as more content is drawn by the hands of global artists from every corner of the world. The idea for this series was developed in collaboration with the team in India as we sought a way to fuse western and eastern story telling elements. Indian culture is very much a part of this series’ DNA, and we are eager to share those elements with our global audience.”

Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head of Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network at Viacom18 said: “Over the years, Nickelodeon India has created successful local IPs and characters that kids love. This partnership with Nickelodeon International has gone beyond the border lines of creativity and stands testimony to the success of Nick India and Nick International in creating groundbreaking content. It further reinforces the capability of the Indian Animation Industry. We are happy to partner with Nickelodeon International for this show and look forward to working together in creating this series for kids across the world.”

Anu Sikka, Head Creative, Content & Research, Kids TV Network at Viacom18 said: “Kids imaginations and aspirations are universal and it’s this learning that has brought this show to life. The series will be showcasing stories that kids around the world will find relatable and engaging, hopefully opening up more opportunities for future collaboration. Our efforts are to make sure that kids get to experience the best of animation and that this show will stir their imagination and transport them into a new world of adventure.”

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Originally published: January 09, 2022.

H/T: Special thanks to @thecartoonnews and @RoyalSmurf2022!

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Tulsa King | Binge | Paramount+

Tulsa King | Binge | Paramount+


This city belongs to him now. All episodes of the new original series Tulsa King are now streaming exclusively on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com

Like Tulsa King on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TulsaKingTV
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Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favourites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Originally published: November 16, 2022.

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