Venetia Davie Unveils ViacomCBS Consumer Products' 2021 Nickelodeon Slate

April 19, 2021, 4:03 pm

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“If we can get through this year, we can pretty much get through anything” - Licensing Source recently chatted to Venetia Davie, Vice President (VP) UK & Ireland at ViacomCBS Consumer Products, about the opportunities in the preschool sector going forward.

PAW Patrol remains the backbone of ViacomCBS' preschool business.

Firstly, which preschool brands are you currently focusing on? Can you run through how the licensing programmes for each are shaping up?

PAW Patrol is the back-bone of our preschool business and a brand that commands a lot of focus across all areas of our business from channel, live events, to social and consumer products.

This year we’ve signed and launched new partners such as Seabrooks and 8th Wonder and PAW remains top dog as the number one preschool property. This autumn we launched our latest theme Dino Rescue, and for the premiere episode, the show was far and away the number one kids programme in its slot with 165k kids tuning in. Next year will also be big year for the pups with the new thematic PAW Patrol: Moto Pups and the release of the greatly anticipated PAW Patrol the Movie which will be distributed globally by Paramount movies.

Another key priority for us will be the launch of consumer products to support Blue’s Clues & You. We’ve seen great success both on air and across product categories in the US. Based on the show’s initial ratings across Nick Jr. and our digital and SVOD platforms, we have no doubt that our US success can be replicated in the UK next Christmas.

Venetia Davie

Finally, we look forward to expanding the world of Baby Shark. Following the announcement that the animated series Baby Shark’s Big Show will launch next year on Nick Jr. we’re working closely with Pinkfong to extend the world of Baby Shark with many new partners already in place.

Have you seen any major trends emerging over the course of 2020 in the preschool space?

Influencers have been a big thing for us on the preschool front and Ryan’s World has been one of our strongest properties throughout 2020. We have the Nick Jr. show Ryan’s Mystery Playdate. Series three launched in August this year and series 4 has already been greenlit. On the consumer products side, Ryan is a best-selling hit with toys, a video game as well as apps and a magazine which have all proven immensely popular amongst pre-schoolers who identify with Ryan. Next year’s focus for Ryan’s World will include new partners in the FMCG space and a fantastic retail activation around his World Tour theme.

Also, within the preschool space we launched a range of CKN apparel lines exclusively at Character.com to support our latest influencer preschool show Calvin & Kaisons Play Power. The boys will be promoting the apparel line on their YouTube platform which receives well over 27 million UK views per month, up over 58% since the show started airing in the UK.

Outside of the preschool space, we have recently announced a brand-new partnership with social media star and hip-hop artist with ‘That Girl Lay Lay’ to develop original multiplatform programming, music and more. We’re thrilled to be launching her in the UK in 2021.

Blue's Clues & You has enjoyed strong success in the US already.

How healthy do you think the preschool licensed sector is in general? What are some of the key challenges that you think the sector is facing going forward (retail recovery from COVID-19, lack of shelf space, risk averse retail, etc)?

2020 has been a mixed year with clear winners and losers. We’ve seen the toy market strengthen with some significant upsides in licensed sales and categories such as outdoor toys, puzzles and games and building sets but we’ve also seen softening in lower price impulse products and categories such as daywear and accessories. In publishing our licensed workbooks and magazine sales have held up incredibly well given the closure of some non-essential stores.

In terms of recovery I think we’re all hoping those risks taken on inventory for key promoted toy lines pay off. It’s great to see apparel sales start to re-build and this category especially is seeing a nice up-tick in last minute orders and retailers really partnering to maximise open to buy.

Most of all I think we’re looking forward to 2021, while the C word may move back to the B word, I think we all feel, if we can get through this year, we can pretty much get through anything. Let’s see what the next round of Brexit negotiations deliver.

Calvin and Kaison are the latest influencers in the preschool space.

How easy is it for new brands to break through at the moment?

Most of our properties are well known among parents and preschoolers and nostalgia properties are definitely a big part of what we offer, but we do have a few newcomers for 2021 which I believe will make a strong debut.

We’re getting ready to launch Baby Shark products following the launch of Baby Shark’s Big Show on Nickelodeon and I have no doubt that it will be a hit for preschoolers.

Kids and parents have so much choice nowadays especially with the number of platforms available to them to watch content, but through our campaigns and our work with our partners we manage to reach them and introduce them to new characters which they grow attached to. It’s more challenging than with established properties but still possible.

What would you most like to achieve for your preschool brands from the remainder of 2020 and into 2021?

A top ten Christmas toy, lots of happy faces on unwrapping presents, continued ratings growth across all our channels, a blockbuster summer movie moving into 2021 and a Blue’s Clues takeover at retail next year.

From The Toy Book:

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Q&A 2021: VIACOMCBS

Pam Kaufman, president of global consumer products at ViacomCBS, discusses media strategy, company goals, and more in the Toy Book‘s annual State of the Industry Q&A.

Toy Book: With major trade shows canceled or on hold this year, how do you plan to connect with manufacturers and the media?

Pam Kaufman: We have been incredibly intentional about staying in lockstep with our partners and retailers to meet the needs of consumers, especially during the pandemic. Staying in close contact with all of our licensees and retail partners allowed us to adapt creatively and quickly to the changing landscape. We have been rigorous about coming up with innovative ways to exchange ideas and share content.

The team successfully pivoted all events to fully virtual experiences, completing nearly 50 global partner meetings and trade events, in addition to participating virtually in Licensing Expo and the Festival of Licensing. We organized an intimate experience in a new virtual format to introduce our budding social stars, including Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay and Johnny Orlando for MTV, complete with acoustic performances from them both.

TB: What are your plans and goals for 2021?

PK: With the ViacomCBS merger, we are thrilled that our portfolio has expanded to serve consumers of all ages around the world. This year, we are focused on the debut of the first PAW Patrol theatrical release, expanding the Star Trek universe to the kids’ space with Star Trek: Prodigy, the continued rollout of Blue’s Clues & You!, the premiere of Baby Shark’s Big Show, connecting consumers with one of cable’s most-watched series of 2020 Yellowstone, and premiering the highly anticipated SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off series Kamp Koral. We are gearing up for a strong year with a huge array of new items hitting the market that we know kids and families will love.

TB: How did your department respond to the early challenges presented by the pandemic?

PK: When the pandemic first began, we did not know all the challenges that we and the larger industry would face in the months to come, but we worked diligently with our partners and retailers to ensure we adapted to the changing environment to better meet consumers’ evolving needs. We saw early on that families would be spending more time at home together and that parents would be looking for play solutions to supplement the difficulties of remote learning. Together with our licensees, we developed innovative solutions for kids and families including new puzzles, games, crafts, outdoor toys, hygiene products, and more. We also launched a licensed face mask initiative featuring a variety of ViacomCBS properties and are proud to have donated all ViacomCBS royalties from the program to charities around the world.

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From Licensing Source:

‘At the heart of everything will always be good content’

Informa Markets’ Anna Knight, ViacomCBS’ Mark Kingston, Gary Pope from Kids Industries and WildBrain Spark’s Jon Gisby discuss the evolution of kids’ content in live webinar.

Children may have more ability to view content than ever before, but at the heart will always be strong storytelling which they can build an emotional connection with, whatever the platform.

This was a key view to come out of the first in a new series of live webinars being hosted by Informa Markets and License Global yesterday (18 March).

Led by Anna Knight, vp of Informa Markets’ Licensing Group, Jon Gisby, evp and md at WildBrain Spark, Mark Kingston, svp international consumer products for ViacomCBS and Gary Pope, co-founder of Kids Industries shared their views on how the way children consume content has changed, whether these changes will be here to stay once the pandemic ends and what this ultimately means for consumer products during the hour-long webinar, entitled Changing the channel: the evolution of kids content.

Gary Pope explained that the current generation of kids are the most vocal generation seen to date and feel more empowered than ever. “They are the most activist and brands have been responding to this in interesting ways,” he noted. “I’d almost suggest that media is now more participated in than consumed in a passive way. This started with unboxers and YouTube, then there was Minecraft and Twitch, and now we have Anything World [a platform that allows children to play with any object they can imagine using the power of their voice]… I think in the next 18 months, we will see a markedly different landscape for children’s media consumption.”

"In some ways childhood hasn't changed, but in some it's the most complicated time to be a child" said Gary Pope, co-founder of Kids Industries.

WildBrain Spark’s Jon Gisby suggested that, this time last year, plenty of kids were consuming content in the same way as now.

“The balance of linear, streaming and AVOD platfroms… that eco system has been there for the best part of ten years off and on,” he said. “What’s shifted is the relative balance and importance of the platforms. There has been an enormous increase in viewing on YouTube, for example.

“There’s also been a shift in device – kids increasingly have access to their own device, which means they are in control of the content. Equally, there has been a shift of viewing from devices back to the big screen and connected TVs. The growth was already there, but has been massively accelerated. My personal theory is that people had time to figure out how the kit worked!”

Jon continued: “That in turn, turns into co-viewing – premium content on the big screen with the family… that’s called TV and has always been there. Nothing ever dies, it just takes a new shape.”

Children are leading indicators when it comes to media consumption, Jon added: “We’ve grown up where we link a device to a particular piece of content and I don’t think they make that distinction. I think that will increasingly be the case – it’s that 360 view of a brand.”

Content needs to build an emotional connection with viewers, so it can be taken from the screen to physical products, said ViacomCBS' Mark Kingston.

Asked how the more ‘traditional’ ways of viewing fit into the new landscape, ViacomCBS’s Mark Kingston asserted that “at the heart of everything will always be content”.

“There’s never been a better time to be a content creator; there are so many opportunities to get content out there,” he commented. “Traditional platforms will probably become stronger – cinematic and live experiences will become bolder. We’re a social species and there is a lot of pent up demand. At the heart will always be really strong storytelling where consumers can build an emotional connection which can be taken off the screen and into physical products, and for a long time, too.”

The explosion of content is also giving companies such as ViacomCBS even more opportunity to connect with audiences, allowing them to immerse themselves in the IP and build meaningful and long-term emotional connections, Mark added.

When it comes to retail, they need to work out how to curate all these new opportunities.

“Roll the clock back ten years and content probably came from four different sources – toy, publishing, TV and movies – now you can roll into that gaming, influencers, etc,” said Mark. “Fundamentally, I still come back to that emotional connection with the audience… that awareness of your IP and the desire from audiences to live and embrace it beyond the screen.”

Notably, Gary added that ‘what’s your YouTube strategy?’ is the second most asked question he hears from retail now [after ‘who’s your toy partner?’].

Asked if the new landscape would lead to the death of traditional TV, Jon said: “Traditional TV is a shared experience, an appointment to view and none of that is going away. But some things are being done better by other platforms – we’re all trying to figure out how all the different platforms will work alongside each other.

“It’s perfectly possible to build a brand on linear or on AVOD. Where the magic happens is where a brand is big enough to work across all three.”

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From the February 2021 issue of The Toy Book.

VIACOMCBS SHINES THROUGH CREATIVE ADAPTIVITY

The Toy Book chats with Dion Vlachos, executive vice president of licensing and retail at ViacomCBS, about taking Nickelodeon shows from the TV to the toy box.

Toy Book: How do you work with your licensing partners to bring the magic of Nickelodeon shows from the screen to kids' everyday lives?

Dion Vlachos: We work closely with each partner at every stage of development to capture the distinct play patterns, fan-fa- vorite moments, and educational elements of each property and extend them into all product. We strive for authentic representation of our characters and their storylines, and it is important for us to capture that from the early designs and architecture of products.

TB: How do you ensure important elements or plotlines from the series are incorporated into the products?

DV: Our global consumer products creative team works very closely with content development teams at early stages to accurately capture the unique elements of each show as they begin development for toys. Characters and storylines are almost always in full development for many months (and sometimes years), and the content development teams share the critical vision for those characters and storylines by providing the direction for toy development even before the first episode takes shape in a rough reel. That collaboration is absolutely key to the success of the best representation or extension of a show into toys.

TB: Why is it important to incorporate the educational components from each series into the toys they inspire?

DV: The educational components of each show provide a distinct point of differentiation for each property, as well as an authentic fingerprint for play patterns. It is critical that we develop our toy strategy first to align on the promise and architecture of each line with those distinct educational elements in mind.

TB: How is Viacom CBS working to make sure internet sensations like Baby Shark and Ryan's World stay relevant beyond their viral videos?

DV: We are strategically building digital hits into full omnichannel franchises to ensure longer-term relevancy. Examples of that strategy include the launch of the new Nickelodeon series Baby Shark's Big Show! on the heels of the powerful YouTube phenomenon, and Ryan's Mystery Playdate on the heels of his YouTube fandom. Both of these franchises also have additional short-form content, social content, and retail campaigns that round out their reach for their preschool fans.

TB: What can kids and families expect from Nickelodeon-licensed toys and games this year?

DV: We have more innovation and freshness in store for our licensed toys and games this year. The teams have been working closely with our partners to develop the next level for each of our favorite preschool toys and launch some brand-new items into the market for new shows as we grow our portfolio.

TB: With the pandemic still affect ing kids' everyday lives, how is Viacom CBS working to spread joy and fun in 2021?

DV: We have focused energy this year on what we call "creative adaptivity in the face of the pandemic. Kids and families are spending more time at home together, learning remotely, playing, and building. We have worked with our partners to develop innovative solutions to help kids celebrate this extra time at home, from new puzzles, games, crafts, and outdoor toys to enhanced learning aids, stationery items, hygiene tools, and desk accessories. The list keeps growing, and the innovation keeps building into even more exciting new product.

TB: Why is it important for Viacom CBS to work with a variety of toy and game companies to bring Nickelodeon properties into hardgoods?

DV: It is important for us to work with a variety of toy and game partners to foster innovation found in each company as well as provide distinct points of differentiation between product lines. We are committed to a diverse partner mix to better reflect our global consumers, including retail partners, creative agencies, and licensees.

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From Toy World Magazine:

Spin Master details an exciting year for Paw Patrol brand

2021 is set to be an exciting year for the Paw Patrol brand with new toy launches this spring and the release of the highly anticipated Paw Patrol film in summer.

News of Paw Patrol: The Movie was unveiled last year and the release is now only a few months away. Set for release by Paramount Pictures in August, the film is based on the popular animated Nickelodeon series that first hit screens back in 2013 and will be voiced by a star-studded cast including Kim Kardashian, Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Perry and Dax Shepard.

In addition to the film premiering this summer, Spin Master’s Paw Patrol brand has a raft of exciting launches underway for spring. Following the huge success of the Dino Rescue range last year, the popular pre-school brand has now introduced a new range of figures, vehicles and playsets with its new Moto Pups line. The new range has launched alongside the latest season of Nick Jr’s Paw Patrol programming, which hit screens last month.

Within the Moto Pups range sit six unique motorcycles and refreshed outfits for all of the brand’s beloved heroes. The themed motorcycles feature authentic graphics and details, large wheels and a pull-back function that allows for performing wheelies and paw-some stunts. Spin Master has also introduced the new Moto Pups Mini Figures to its roster of Paw Patrol toys. Each collectible figure comes in an Adventure Bay Tower container and in true collectible fashion, it’s a surprise which pup is inside. There are seven pups to collect, including the latest addition to the team, Wildcat. The main highlight from the range is the epic new Moto Pups HQ Play Set which features exciting sounds, a motorcycle launch ramp and looks just like the Paw Patrol’s action-packed headquarters from the show.

The extensive collection also includes the Rocky Reuse It Truck, which launched at the start of the year. Equipped with rolling wheels and moving arms, the unique recycling-themed truck makes it easy to play out imaginative missions with Rocky and the rest of the Paw Patrol team.

Becca Hanlon, senior brand manager at Spin Master UK, commented: Paw Patrol really continues to shine in the pre-school space, not only have we had the exciting spring launches this year with Moto Pups & Rocky’s ReUse It Truck, but with Paw Patrol: The Movie set to be a huge summer hit, it really is an exciting year for Paw Patrol.”

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More Nick: Netflix Bows 'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run' Internationally!

Originally published: Friday, November 20, 2020.

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Noggin Launches ‘Big Heart World’ Social Initiative for Preschoolers

April 19, 2021, 4:13 pm

≫ Next: Nickelodeon to Host 'Loud House'-Themed Interactive 'Nickelodeon Master' Game in France

≪ Previous: Venetia Davie Unveils ViacomCBS Consumer Products' 2021 Nickelodeon Slate

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Featuring Nickelodeon fan-favorite characters, the campaign is designed to help kids meet social and educational challenges; Big Heart Beats album provides empowering and catchy songs to bolster the campaign’s messages, and will also be available Nick Jr. and the Nick Jr. YouTube channel.

Nickelodeon’s interactive learning service for preschoolers, Noggin, has launched a new initiative called Big Heart World. The multiplatform campaign, which aims to promote children’s healthy social and emotional development, will roll out throughout the year. The initiative includes an array of content and resources featuring Nickelodeon’s fan-favorite preschool characters, as well as all-new animated characters, designed to help kids build confidence, develop an appreciation for others, navigate relationships and contribute to a kinder world.

"Social and emotional learning helps children understand themselves, relate to others and stand up for what's right,” explained Noggin Executive Vice President (EVP) Kristen Kane. “It has always been a meaningful part of early childhood development, but after a year of isolation and stress, it's an especially pressing priority for families. The Big Heart World initiative presents new, engaging learning experiences from Noggin and a helpful multimedia destination for every family."

Noggin’s Big Heart World initiative focuses on three key learning areas: awareness of self—identity, belonging, feelings and self-regulation; awareness of others—empathy and appreciation of diversity; and relationships with others—interpersonal strategies. As part of the campaign a different focus will be highlighted each month with new content that includes:

• Original songs and music videos from the brand-new Big Heart Beats album, a collection of 10 catchy and empowering songs to help educate preschoolers through music. The first song and music video “Like Nobody Else,” focuses on identity and is available now. Following their debut on Noggin, the music videos will air on the Nick Jr. channel and be available on the Nick Jr. YouTube channel.
• New short-form videos and interactive games.
• Parent, caregiver, and educator resources.
• Family activity guides.

Timed to the launch of each month’s theme, songs from the Big Heart Beats album will be available on multiple digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Tidal, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

Big Heart World content is also available at BigHeartWorld.org, developed by nonprofit organization Sparkler Learning, with the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation. Noggin has partnered with Sparkler Learning to provide additional educational materials to early learning organizations, educators, parents, and caregivers.

In Noggin, learning is led by the Nickelodeon preschool characters kids know and love, and developed by education and child development experts. The interactive service offers an ever-expanding library of books, learning games, activities, exclusive shorts and 1,000+ ad-free episodes of preschool favorites like PAW Patrol, Peppa Pig and Blue’s Clues & You!

Visit Big Heart World on Noggin!

More Nick:Noggin Debuts New Animated Musical Series 'Rhymes Through Times'!

Originally published: Thursday, April 15, 2021.

Original source: Animation World Network; Additional source: Animation Magazine.

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Nickelodeon to Host 'Loud House'-Themed Interactive 'Nickelodeon Master' Game in France

April 19, 2021, 4:29 pm

≫ Next: 'Drama Club' | Cast & Crew Interviews | Nickelodeon

≪ Previous: Noggin Launches ‘Big Heart World’ Social Initiative for Preschoolers

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Nickelodeon France will host Le grand quiz des Loud, a brand new interactive quiz in which viewers can answer questions about The Loud House (Bienvenue chez les Loud) whilst watching back-to-back episodes on TV via the Nickelodeon Master app for the chance to have their nicknames appear on screen, weekdays from 17:25 between Monday 19th - Friday 23rd April 2021! The news follows Nickelodeon hosting a SpongeBob SquarePants (Bob l'éponge) edition of the game in November 2020.

Official Nickelodeon France press release:

NICKELODEON ORGANISE SUR SON ANTENNE

"LE GRAND QUIZ DES LOUD"

AVEC L'APPLICATION NICKELODEON MASTER

Paris, le 9 avril - Après Bob l'éponge en novembre dernier, c'est au tour de Lincoln Loud et de ses sœurs de challenger les enfants avec "Le grand quiz des Loud" ! A partir du 19 avril et pendant une semaine, tout en regardant la série, les jeunes téléspectateurs pourront tester leurs connaissances sur la plus déjantée des familles.

Du lundi 19 au vendredi 23 avril dès 17h25, NICKELODEON diffusera deux épisodes de BIENVENUE CHEZ LES LOUD au cours desquels s'afficheront plusieurs questions à choix multiples en rapport avec la série. Pendant qu'ils regardent les épisodes, les enfants pourront répondre aux questions via l'application "Nickelodeon Master" disponible gratuitement sur Android et IOS et téléchargeable sur Google Play et App Store.

Les 4 enfants qui auront trouvé le plus de bonnes réponses à la fin de chaque quiz verront leur pseudo affiché sur la chaîne, et l'ensemble des participants pourront quant à eux retrouver directement leur classement sur l'application.

Où habitent les Loud ? Qui est le meilleur ami de Lincoln ? Quelle soeur Loud a les cheveux blonds ? Comment s'appelle le chien des Loud ?... Les enfants vont devoir se creuser les méninges et être le plus rapide possible pour prouver à tous qui est le plus grand fan de BIENVENUE CHEZ LES LOUD !

Que les enfants se tiennent prêts, il est encore temps de réviser pour être le meilleur au NICKELODEON MASTER, le grand quiz des Loud !

ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ : VIAC ; VIACA) est un groupe mondial leader dans le domaine des médias de divertissement proposant des contenus et des expériences de qualité à des publics variés dans le monde entier. VicacomCBS regroupe des marques emblématiques et mondialement connues comme Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Showtime, Paramount Picture, Paramount Network, Network 10, Channel 5, Telefe, Viacom 18, ViacomCBS International Studios et Pluto TV. En plus d'offrir des services de streaming et des produits vidéo innovants, ViacomCBS dispose de solides capacités de production, de distribution et de solutions publicitaires pour des partenaires sur les cinq continents et dans plus de 180 pays. En France, ViacomCBS Networks France est présent via de grandes marques de divertissement dont MTV, MTV HITS, MY MTV, BET, PARAMOUNT CHANNEL, COMEDY CENTRAL, GAME ONE, J-ONE, NICKELODEON JUNIOR, NICKELODEON, NICKELODEON TEEN et MON NICKELODEON JUNIOR avec leurs plateformes numériques et sociales associées. Les chaînes de ViacomCBS Networks France sont distribuées chez tous les opérateurs.

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Plus Nickelodeon : Grupo Lomas et Karisma Hotels & Resorts ouvriront Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya en juin 2021 !

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'Drama Club' | Cast & Crew Interviews | Nickelodeon

April 19, 2021, 4:39 pm

≫ Next: St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI Presents 'The SpongeBob Musical'

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Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine talk about their brand new Nickelodeon comedy Drama Club, with MyWabashValley.com! The all new series premieres digitally on nick.com and the Nick App on Saturday, March 13, followed by on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT)!

The curtains have risen on Nickelodeon’s new mockumentary-style comedy series Drama Club.  From creators and executive producers Monica Sherer and Madeline Whitby (All That, Betch), the series (10 half-hour episodes) follows a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.

In the premiere episode of Drama Club, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.

Drama Club stars Telci Huynh (God Friended Me) as “Mack,” Nathan Janak (All That) as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan (Silicon Valley) as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman (Side Hustle) as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin (The Many Saints of Newark) as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine (Dancing with the Stars: Juniors) as “Skip.”

Drama Club is produced by Awesomeness (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Trinkets, PEN15), with Shelley Zimmerman and Brin Lukens serving as executive producers. Eric Falconer (How I Met Your Mother, Blue Mountain State) serves as executive producer and showrunner. The series premiere is directed by Nancy Hower (Teachers, Those Who Can’t). Production of Drama Club for Nickelodeon and Awesomeness is overseen by Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content; and Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action.

From ALEXISJOYVIPACCESS:

VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: The Cast Of Nickelodeon’s “Drama Club” Talks About Fave Moments From Working On The Series And They Give Their Characters Class Superlatives In Their Interview With Alexisjoyvipaccess!

Lights, Camera, Action! The curtains are raised and a group of amazing middle-schoolers are taking center stage in the brand new, Nickelodeon series, Drama Club premiering digitally on Saturday, March 13th on the Nick app and Nick.com. The remarkable, mockumentary series truly stands out as something that has never been seen before on the network and parallels the great comedic chops and format of The Office. With a brilliant ensemble of the most immensely talented actors and actresses and tons of hilarious moments in every scene, this is your cue to get ready for your new show obsession, Drama Club!

Drama Club follows a group of middle-schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club. “In the premiere episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help” (source: press release).

The sensational series stars a magnificently gifted cast comprising of Telci Huynh as “Mack,” Nathan Janak as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine as “Skip.”

Huynh, Janak, Vacnin, Celestine, Brennan and Tallman make the absolute dream team to bring out such a fun and entertaining show that will literally make you laugh out loud. Each character in the series has their own unique personality – from the total jock Bench, to the drama club superstar, Oliver, the oh, so glam Bianca, the fun-loving best-friend everyone needs, Skip, the hilarious Darcy and the determined go-getter, Mack. All of the characters’ vibrant personas shine in the series and when joined together, they make one stupendous Drama Club family.

Filled with awesome props and fantastic costumes, Drama Club is taking us all back to middle-school and will make us feel like we’re right there with the cast on opening night of the school play. This isn’t a run-through, it’s the real deal, Drama Club is bound to bring show-stopping excitement to our screens as the talented crew makes sure the show must (might) go on!

Alexisjoyvipaccess had an extraordinary time interviewing the cast of Nickelodeon’s Drama Club and had a stellar time chatting with Telci Huynh, Nathan Janak, Lili Brennan, Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine all about a moment that sticks out to them the most from working on the series, which class superlatives they would give to their characters in the show, and so much more only in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews. The phenomenal cast even took on a fun acting exercise and showed how their characters would react if they got the lead part in the school play, how their characters would react if they forget their lines on opening night and they even showed how their characters would pose if it were school picture day at Tookus Middle School – it all happens in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews below!

Check out my VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews with the cast of Drama Club below and don’t forget to watch the premiere of this incredible series on the Nick App and Nick.com on Saturday, March 13th with a special encore presentation airing on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20th, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT)!

 

The sensational series stars a magnificently gifted cast comprising of Telci Huynh as “Mack,” Nathan Janak as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine as “Skip.”

Huynh, Janak, Vacnin, Celestine, Brennan and Tallman make the absolute dream team to bring out such a fun and entertaining show that will literally make you laugh out loud. Each character in the series has their own unique personality – from the total jock Bench, to the drama club superstar, Oliver, the oh, so glam Bianca, the fun-loving best-friend everyone needs, Skip, the hilarious Darcy and the determined go-getter, Mack. All of the characters’ vibrant personas shine in the series and when joined together, they make one stupendous Drama Club family.

Filled with awesome props and fantastic costumes, Drama Club is taking us all back to middle-school and will make us feel like we’re right there with the cast on opening night of the school play. This isn’t a run-through, it’s the real deal, Drama Club is bound to bring show-stopping excitement to our screens as the talented crew makes sure the show must (might) go on!

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Nickelodeon's Drama Club: Mack and Darcy Give Tour in First Look of Show | J-14 Magazine

Nickelodeon has a brand new show premiering called 'Drama Club,' and we're giving you a first look at the new series. In the premiere episode of #DramaClub​, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help. 

The series premieres digitally on the Nick app and Nick.com on Saturday, March 13, and airs on #Nickelodeon​ on Saturday, March 20, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The series stars Telci Huynh (Mack), Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench) and Artyon Celestine (Skip).

The show must go on in Nickelodeon's 'Drama Club'

The drama is just beginning for the drama club as they welcome a new member. 

Nickelodeon’s new show “Drama Club” is a different type of show as people are calling it a “mock”-a-mentary. 

Cast members of the new show Kensington Tallman and Chase Vacnin spoke to PIX11 News’ Ojinika Obiekwe about the series and what we viewers can expect. 

“Drama Club” airs Saturday night on Nickelodeon. You can also catch it on the Nick app and Nick.com.

From Newsday:

LI teen stars in Nick's 'Drama Club,''Sopranos' movie

Newsday spoke with Merrick's own Chase Vacnin, who is a cast member in the new Nickelodeon series "Drama Club," premiering this month. He also has a role in "The Many Saints of Newark," the "Sopranos" movie slated to come out later this year. Credit: Newsday

Most actors dream of some day winning an Oscar and making a grand acceptance speech in which they thank every member of their family. Merrick native and rising star Chase Vacnin has an even clearer idea of how he wants to show his gratitude to his family.

"I have a very specific success in my mind. My vision is to be able to get my mom that Tesla [and] to put my brother through law school. I want to be able to give back to my family," Vacnin, 19 says.

He's well on his way to making that happen. Vacnin is one of the stars of Nickelodeon's new mockumentary-style sitcom "Drama Club" and in September he'll be seen on the big screen in "The Many Saints of Newark," the feature film prequel to TV's "The Sopranos."

In "Drama Club," which airs Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., Vacnin plays the most popular kid in middle school. a football star who's failing in his classes and is forced to take drama club as an elective. "My character, Bench, is this boisterous, athletic guy. He’s a total bro," Vacnin says. "He's the fish out of water in the drama club, which is cool because it shows the welcoming arms of the show, how it really accepts diversity no matter who you are or what your background is."

While "Drama Club" is family-friendly fare, Vacnin gets to tap into his dark side as a mobster in "The Many Sides of Newark," which stars Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini, playing a young version of his dad's character, Tony Soprano.

"Originally I wasn’t supposed to have as big a role as I do, but I had to fight for that. I had to charm my way into gaining more spots in that film," Vacnin says. "I was fortunate enough to go out to lunch with Gandolfini. He took me around New York City. He and I still text and talk about the release on Sept. 24."

With his career gaining momentum, Vacnin recently moved to Los Angeles where he has an apartment. Saying goodbye to Long Island, however, wasn't easy.

"I’m going to miss all my boys. I’m going to miss all my friends for sure," he says. "I'm very grateful I went to a public school and made those real long-lasting friendships. That came from a football field."

As for what's next, Vacnin has another film, "Once Upon a Time in Staten Island" with Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts, awaiting release. And in case you were wondering, Vacnin also imagines that moment when he might be standing at the podium accepting an Academy Award.

"Big dreams, big dreams," he says, "but you need to have them."

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From Just Jared Jr.:

Get To Know 'Drama Club' Actor Chase Vacnin, aka Bench, With 10 Fun Facts!

Drama Club is premiering on Nickelodeon this weekend and JJJ is getting to know the stars of the new series!

If you don’t already know, the show is a mockumentary-style comedy about a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.

Chase Vacnin stars in the series as Bench Logan, the not so bright football player who joins the Tookus Middle School Drama Club because he forgot to sign up for an elective.

You may recognize Chase from his role on Ramy or as Butch in The Little Rascals Save the Day. Find out 10 Fun Facts about Chase below!

While Drama Club has already premiered digitally, it will make it’s network debut on Nickelodeon THIS Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT, following an all new episode of Side Hustle.

New episodes of Drama Club will continue to air in the 8:30pm time slot, Saturdays on Nick.

1. My favorite Xbox games are Madden and the NHL series.

2. My favorite food is bacon.

3. I am a rapper.

4. My tongue can touch my nose.

5. I can juggle.

6. I enjoy cooking.

7. I played on my high school football, lacrosse and basketball teams.

8. I’m obsessed with cars.

9. I write music.

10. I love roller coasters .

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From Just Jared Jr.:

Learn More About Drama Club's Kensington Tallman With 10 Fun Facts!

Kensington Tallman is making her presence known in the new Nickelodeon series Drama Club!

The actress plays Bianca in the show, the loud and quirky influencer, who also has a crush on Bench.

Drama Club, if you haven’t heard by now, is a mockumentary-style comedy which follows a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.

You may recognize Kensington from her role as Ruby on another Nickelodeon series, Side Hustle. She’s also been on episodes of Black Monday and The Good Cop.

JJJ has been getting to know the cast of Drama Club with 10 Fun Facts. Check out Chase Vacnin and Lili Brennan‘s right here!

Be sure to tune in to Drama Club on Saturday nights at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Check out Kensington Tallman‘s fun facts below:

1. I am a vegan! I love animals and am passionate about their wellbeing. My favorite animal is a sloth because they are just so cute!! I have a pet Teddy Bear Hamster named Potato and I really want to get pet chickens.

2. I have lived in 4 different states and 10 homes! I was raised in New York City and my favorite place back home is Central Park. There is always so much to see and experience!

3. I grew up playing the violin and have performed not only on the streets of New York City but also at Carnegie Hall through the School of Strings! I am currently learning how to play the ukulele.

4. My favorite Subject is History! I love learning about different cultures and historical figures. I am part of the National Junior Honor Society at my school and my hope is to go to Yale University. I speak basic Latin, French and I am learning Italian. My dream is to go to Italy and see the Colosseum in Rome.

5. I love aerial dance! I think it’s such a beautiful artform. For my birthday this year I am asking for a scarf so I can practice every day.

6. I have a little brother named Zealand. He is adopted! I also have 2 cousins who are adopted along with my grandfather. My family is passionate about adoption.

7. I love doing impressions and accents! My favorite impression to do is Bjork and sometimes on my off days I take an accent class over Zoom.

8. My favorite food is avocado sushi rolls and Vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream from Nada Moo.

9. I love all forms of art!! One of my favorite things to do is crochet. I love making baby blankets for family and friends’ new babies.

When I grow up, I want to continue acting and start a production company, along with a charity with my best friend Samantha Smith, who is also an actress. We met doing a Dunkin Donuts commercial and have been best friends ever since.

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From Just Jared Jr.:

Find Out More About 'All That'& Drama Club's Nathan Janak - Exclusive!

Nathan Janak has been gracing our TV screens for a while now on All That, and now he’s killing it on the new series Drama Club!

The almost 16-year-old is perhaps most known from Nickelodeon’s All That reboot, and for his Ariana Grande impression and his “Cancelled” segment.

Nathan now stars as Oliver Olivier on Drama Club, who is basically the Sharpay Evans of the Tookus Middle School Drama Club – starring in every musical alongside Mack… until now.

In the first episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.

While the new series has already premiered it’s first episode online, it will be premiering in it’s regular Saturday night time slot TOMORROW (March 20) at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon.

JJJ got to know more about Nathan with 10 Fun Facts. Check out what he revealed below!

1. During my downtime, I love to paint with gouache and watercolor.

2. I enjoy playing strategy games such as chess and Monopoly.

3. My sun, my moon, my ascendant, my Mercury and my Venus are all in Aries.

4. I secretly love to analyze a celebrity’s astrology natal chart.

5. Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift are my most listened to artists on Spotify!

6. The Crown is my favorite tv show right now! I LOVE EMMA CORRIN!

7. Legally Blonde is my favorite musical.

8. I am constantly on Pinterest.

9. I love to skateboard around set.

10. World History is my favorite subject in school!

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Get To Know Drama Club's Artyon Celestine With These Fun Facts! (Exclusive)

Artyon Celestine is one of the stars of the new Nickelodeon series Drama Club!

The 13-year-old plays Skip in the show, which follows a group of students in the Tookus Middle School Drama Club.

Artyon is no stranger to the stage or screen. The teen has appeared in Sia‘s “The Greatest” music video and her new movie Music, and on shows like Little Big Shots, Lip Sync Battle Shorties and America’s Got Talent, and he even competed on Dancing With The Stars Juniors, where he was partnered with Ariana Greenblatt. They took second place!

On the acting front, Artyon has most recently appeared on the latest season of Attaway General. He’s also been on Jane The Virgin, Claws and Bob Hearts Abishola, as well as A Christmas Story Live!

Drama Club will make it’s network debut on Nickelodeon TOMORROW night (March 20) at 8:30pm ET/PT.

We got to know more about Artyon with 10 Fun Facts, and you can see what he shared below!

If you missed them, be sure to check out our other fun facts posts with Artyon‘s co-stars.

1. I love to Skateboard. Picked it up during quarantine and couldn’t stop!!

2. I can do some voice impressions from some cartoons.

3. I can sing, love to do it while playing Ukulele!!

4. I am a professional dancer. Trained in ALL styles, but my favorite has to be tap.

5. I did gymnastics for 9 years and never stopped tumbling. I was even flown out to watch the Olympic Trials by Ellen!!

6. I love knitting and have made Scarves blankets and pillows!!

7. I love to play sports like Football and Track!!

8. My name is a combination of my dad’s name ARThur and my mom’s middle name YvONe.

9. Ever since doing Nickelodeon’s Lip Sync Battle Shorties my nick name has been PARTYON ARTYON!!

10. Out of all 6 family members in my house, including our dogs, every name starts with an A!!

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From J-14:

ExclusiveNickelodeon’s ‘Drama Club’ Cast Shares Their Funniest On-Set Memories

The stars of Nickelodeon’s new series Drama Club spilled some behind-the-scenes secrets exclusively with J-14. Telci Huynh, Lili Brennan, Nathan Janak, Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine recalled some pretty hilarious moments that went down when the cameras weren’t rolling, including when they flooded the toilets! Be sure to watch the video above, and check out Drama Club‘s series premiere on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The cast of Nickelodeon's new show Drama Club — Telci Huynh (Mack), Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench) and Artyon Celestine (Skip) — chatted with J-14 all about their new series and revealed some of the funniest moments on set. From flooding toilets (ok, that was more of an embarrassing story) to accidentally dumping white powder all over themselves, these stories are too good. 

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From Just Jared Jr.:

Meet Drama Club's Lili Brennan, aka Darcy, With 10 Fun Facts! (Exclusive)

Lili Brennan is one of the rising stars in the new series Drama Club!

The young actress stars as Darcy in the Nickelodeon show, which is a mockumentary-style comedy about a group of middle schoolers in drama club.

In the first episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.

You may recognize Lili if you have also been watching the Nickelodeon pet competition series Unleashed. She’s a part of the Kid Jury!

Drama Club has already premiered on Nick.com, but it will be premiering on Nickelodeon THIS Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT.

JJJ is getting to know the cast of the new series with 10 Fun Facts. Check out Lili‘s below!

1. I love the ocean and sail competitively in an optimist sailboat, which is a very small boat for solo sailing. The highest wind speeds I sailed at is over 20 knots! I hope to start sailing FJs (a bigger sailboat for two people) soon!

2. My whole family is scuba certified and I truly love and appreciate the amazing creatures and beauty down below.

3. My favorite animals are actually sharks! They are so magnificent and misunderstood. On my first open ocean scuba dive a shark swam right in front of us! It was amazing! (I was 10!)

4. My love for nature and animals goes deep and I decided to go vegetarian! I never really liked any meats and I feel happy and healthy!

5. Baking is one of my favorite hobbies and I love baking cake, brownies, cookies, cake pops and more!

6. I am learning guitar and love it! I hope to write my own original music someday!

7. I started learning aerial arts when quarantine began. I’ve had the silks for years, but I decided to start learning actual tricks during quarantine! I enjoy it so much, it’s the perfect at home workout!

8. Also over quarantine my mom and I created a garden, I love relaxing, and tending to it. But my favorite thing about it is the fresh vegetables and herbs we get! They taste so good and I love making teas, scrubs and essential oils with them!

9. I have many cats and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! One of them is a polydactyl meaning she has extra toes! And another meows a TON; I think he wants to be a singer!

10. Lastly, in my free time I love streaming on twitch, whether it’s Minecraft, Stardew Valley, or really anything else! I stream under the user Merakii_3 and it’s one of my favorite things to do!

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Drama Club's Telci Huynh Shares 10 Fun Facts With JJJ - Exclusive!

We are so excited for the premiere of Drama Club – and to celebrate, we’ve been getting to know the stars of the show!

Telci Huynh is starring in the Nickelodeon mockumentary-style comedy series as Mack, who becomes the new student director, much to Oliver’s dismay.

The first episode has already been released on Nick.com, and will premiere on Nickelodeon TOMORROW night, Saturday, March 20th, and we highly suggest you don’t miss it. Telci and the whole cast are so funny!!

You may recognize Telci from some of her other roles, including Tiffany on Team Kaylie, Dirty Danielle Jr on Just Roll With It, or from God Friended Me, Reverie or Coop and Cami Ask The World.

Be sure to tune to catch Telci in Drama Club on Saturday nights at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon!

JJJ got to know more about Telci with 10 Fun Facts and you can see them all below:

1. My celebrity crush is Henry Cavill.

2. Favorite foods are sushi and any kind of soup.

3. I enjoy longboarding and snowboarding.

4. My hobbies include singing, making natural skin care products, tumbling and knitting (You can call me grandma Telci 😉).

5. I have participated in traditional lion and dragon dancing.

6. I have a phobia of bees. I almost got hit by a car, because I ran into the street since a bee was chasing me!

7. My biggest idol is my dad. He is the hardest working man in the entire world. Without my parents’ guidance and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

8. My sun is in Capricorn and my moon is on Leo.

9. I’m of Latin and Chinese descent.

10. My comfort food is dark chocolate and matcha ice cream.

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From TigerBeat:

EXCLUSIVE: GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF NICKELODEON’S ‘DRAMA CLUB’

There’s theater, there’s comedy, and there’s drama!

Nickelodeon’s latest laugh-out-loud series, “Drama Club,”centers around Tookus Middle School’s overlooked drama club and its theater-loving members who eagerly work to change the school’s perception, while trying to earn the support of their new principal at the same time (*insert applause emoji*). When the choreographer accidentally takes the phrase “break a leg” a bit too literally, the students turn to a rival on the football team because, obviously, the show must go on!

We caught up with the cast, including Telci Huynh (Mack) Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench), and Artyon Celestine (Skip), who shared the biggest lessons they hope viewers take away from the fun-filled series, the surprising yearbook superlatives they’d give each of their cast mates, and more!

How would you describe your character in three words?

Telci: I would describe Mack as passionate, hard-working, and very loyal.

Nathan: If I could describe Oliver in three words, I would say bold, very upfront, and honest.

Lili: I would say bold, loyal, and energetic!

Artyon: Skip is supportive, outgoing, and a little bit nerdy.

Chase: I’d say “total bro,” athletic, and genuine.

Kensington: Bianca [is] definitely a diva, self-involved, and most of all, she’s confident and bold.

In what ways are you similar and different to your character in real life?

Telci: I’m definitely very similar to Mack because we share a lot of the same personality traits!

Nathan: I feel like Oliver and I both share different things. We’re both on the same scale, but just opposite sides of it, if that makes sense.

Lili: I think I am very similar to Darcy, except I’m not as bold, but I’m very glad I’m playing her because I’m having a lot of fun being bold in these public scenarios!

Artyon: I have a lot of Skip’s personality…I feel like our swag is the same. But something different, I feel like I’m a bit more athletic than Skip is. He’s not the most athletic, but we love that about him!

Chase: I am similar to Bench in the sense that we’re both athletes. I come from a public school and I played football my entire life, as did Bench. We’re different because I’d like to think I’m a little more cerebral than Bench. Sometimes, he can space out, but it’s hysterical when he does!

Kensington: I’m very much like Bianca because she’s very bold and confident, and she’s not afraid of anything!

Besides “Most Likely To Be On Broadway,” can you decide which yearbook superlative each of your castmates would be?

Nathan: I think that Ms. Darcy, who Lili plays so well, would probably be “Most Likely To Never Leave Town.” I feel like Darcy would just stay in Tookus until the end of the days!

Lili: I think Darcy would have a great time on the dairy farm! Darcy would think that is the best life ever, do crazy things, go out into the wilderness, and go camping.

Telci: I think Oliver would definitely be the best-dressed, fashionista person. He’d also be the one to be “Most Successful” because of his drive. Lili’s character, Darcy, I agree with Nathan. I think she wouldn’t leave town, but she would be like the most positive person in the school.

Nathan: I would actually contraire you there, Telci. I would say Mack would be the “Most Successful” because of her drive, charisma, and her dedication to doing what she loves, much better than Oliver!

Lili: I think Mack would go out and be a manager, own a business, or take on directing fully. I feel like she’s very organized and very much a leader!

Nathan: Yeah, I feel like Mack is “Most Likely To Become President.”

Chase: I would have to nominate my guy Skippy, Artyon, to be “Most Likely To Become A Famous Dancer.” He’s already done that!

Your characters squash a lot of the stereotypes that come along with being a “theater kid” or being a “football kid.” What’s the biggest lesson you hope viewers learn from the series?

Telci: I hope watching “Drama Club” helps kids going through this COVID time learn to truly be themselves without fearing judgement, and to accept others for who they are. A drama club is a place for all unique people from all different backgrounds, so I really hope they learn to be supportive of everybody and everything.

Nathan: I totally agree with Telci on that. I always say this: just be you, really be fearless, and march to the beat of your own drum!

Chase: To appreciate and welcome others! Bring in those who don’t feel like they belong. A lot of the time, people associate the drama club with the kids who aren’t doing sports or other things. The fact that Bench is an athlete, joins the club, and is a fish out of water is a nice parallel to real life and how we go through clubs in school. I definitely think it promotes diversity and welcoming others!

Kensington: [And also, that] it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to not be perfect at something and to really love people who aren’t like yourself. Love an athlete in a drama club! It’s so special to have that connection and I really hope our viewers see that.

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From J-14:

Exclusive : Nickelodeon Star Reyn Doi Dishes on Nabbing His ‘Side Hustle’ and ‘Drama Club’ Roles

Budding superstar Reyn Doi is making a major name for himself in Hollywood! The 12-year-old kicked off 2021 with his big screen debut in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar alongside Saturday Night Live legend Kristen Wiig. Now, he’s taking over Nickelodeon with roles in two of the network’s newest shows, Side Hustle and Drama Club.

The Hawaii native appeared as Horrigan in Side Hustle, which stars Jules LeBlanc and Jayden Bartels. Although Reyn didn’t have any scenes with the girls just yet, the young star told J-14 exclusively to “stay tuned for more to come!”

When it comes to Drama Club — Nickelodeon’s very own mockumentary series — the young star “auditioned multiple times for different roles” before nabbing the part of Kurtis, “the lighting booth manager.”

“Kurtis is a very unique character much like the show itself,” Reyn explained. “The show is about the six members of the drama club who are all very devoted, and doing their best work. You’ll see much more drama whenever Kurtis gets involved.”

Drama Club premiered on Nickelodeon on March 20, and according to Reyn, “Viewers will continue to watch the episodes because [the show] has such an unusual twist, and it is funny. Each character is very lovable.”

What can fans expect from his character specifically? Lots of food-related scenes for Kurtis!

“Drama Club is the first show that I ever ate food while filming a scene,” Reyn gushed. “The first food was a pickle with ketchup. I also got to eat chicken wings — those were very good.”

Aside from his Nickelodeon roles, Reyn also has bunch of epic opportunities on the horizon. “You can expect to see me in the new Boss Baby 2 movie coming out this year!” he said. It was also announced earlier this month that the young star would appear in the upcoming ABC comedy series Adopted.

“It’s a very heart-warming, sweet, and funny family show,” Reyn teased. “This show can carry the true meaning of trust in a relationship, especially during the pandemic. People need a little more positivity right now, and I think Adopted brings exactly that.”

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Reyn said he feels “lucky to be able to go on set.” While he continues his studies as a sixth grader, the actor does his “best to think of the positives.”

“I’ve made a commitment to both my passion and my education, so every day I aim to try my best,” he explained. “I feel very blessed to have all these opportunities and roles.”

Be sure to watch Reyn in new episodes of Drama Club on Nickelodeon on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.

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From The Milford Mirror:

Working at a Milford video store jump-started this Nickelodeon director's career

MILFORD — Award-winning director Matthew Pollock has learned that making films is a whole lot more rewarding than renting them.

Pollock, a Milford native who recently directed a Nickelodeon program called Drama Club, said his experience in Milford helped him make a career in directing.

“I worked at a video store in Milford and my boss pushed me to make shorts whenever I could,” he said. “We would be out filming in the parks and people wouldn’t tell us to stop, we would be allowed to do it. It felt like it was possible which I don’t think everyone gets to experience, which is unfortunate, but I wish that could be more of the case because living in Milford really helped for sure.”

Pollock attended Joseph A. Foran High School, graduating in 2002, and it was there that he got into directing even more.

“I was into film making on my own but at Foran, they had classes where you actually learn about the idea that film can be an art form,” he said. “It really embedded in me this idea that the arts are a fantastic form of entertainment and form of expression and also something that could be a legit career path.”

Paul Gulyas, a childhood friend of Pollock, remembers that towards the end of their senior year at Foran, they were trying to finish editing a full-length movie before losing the ability to use the school’s editing room.

“We were scrambling, skipping classes and staying late,” he said. “It came so down to the wire that the exact moment we were outside Foran wrapping up our graduation ceremony, the final scene of the film we’d all made together was being transferred to a master copy VHS tape in the TV production room.”

Patrick Beck, another one of Pollock’s film-making friends from high school, said some of his favorite memories from the old days was listening to Pollock play music under the name DJ Red Smurf.

While at Foran, Pollock and some friends, including Beck and Gulyas, managed to get some of their short videos broadcast on a local public access channel.

“It wasn’t a very good show, but we had fun with it,” Pollock said.

From Foran, Pollock moved on to the School of Visual Arts in New York City. But he never really left Milford behind. After college, he directed a comedy film that his Milford friends, Gulyas and Beck and Jorge Gonzalez III, wrote called Graduates.

“We contacted Matthew to direct the film because, since high school, he always directed our creative endeavors,” said Beck. “He attended film school in college and was, and still is, the most technically sound. It just made sense for him to bring our vision to life.”

Guylas said Pollock was the natural choice for director because they had known and worked with him for so long.

“We have that shorthand that comes in handy when collaborating on stuff. And we don’t have to feel like we need to be polite or censor ourselves when critiquing one another’s work,” he said. “We can just be honest and know we’re not hurting feelings.”

The film helped Pollock land a job at the Los Angeles-based online comedy company CollegeHumor, first as an editor, then a director.

“It sounds fake in a way because of how perfect it is, but that’s really what happened,” he said.

After seven years at CollegeHumor, Pollock struck out on his own, forming the company Matt Edits Inc. His work has since taken him to numerous U.S. states, and Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Sweden, China and England. His work in London, a Mentos commercial, remains one of his career highlights, he said.

“That was a really hard project that was magical to do,” he said. “The concept was that as an adult, it’s hard to make friends, but as a kid, it’s easy.”

He said that they gave adults hidden earpieces to walk around London, and everything they said and did was being fed to them by children watching them on a monitor.

“It was this weird hidden camera and social experiment that went very well and provided a lot of funny moments and a great time,” he said.

In the commercial, offering someone a mint was the ultimate icebreaker.

“It was such a satisfying project because it was so hard to pull off and it actually worked,” he said.

The commercial earned Pollock a Cannes Lion, a global award for creativity in advertising, and led to similar work across Asia.

But despite making successful commercials, and some television directing with the TruTV comedy show Adam Ruins Everything, Pollock was still looking for a way to break into some of the larger networks. And then, the day before Thanksgiving, 2020, his managers called to tell him Nickelodeon was looking for someone to direct two episodes of a new project called Drama Club.

“They sent me the script and I loved it. It’s such a fun and creative show that it’s both funny for kids and funny for adults,” he said.

A few weeks later, he landed the job.

“Every day there were 100 to 150 people on set and we are all dealing with COVID by keeping spaced out, wearing masks/face shields and getting tested every day,” said Pollock. “But at the end of the day, it is just more of the same, you have a script, you have performers, you have cameras and you’ve got to do what you can do.”

A plus of working with Nickelodeon is that they had great talent working on the show, he said. Though the work was stressful, Pollock said he was able to direct the kind of show that he would have liked to watch when he was growing up in a single-parent household in Milford.

With money tight, Pollock said he played sports, and did OK in school. But his heart was in movies and television.

“The way it happened is that I followed my gut and followed my dream and instincts and had determination,” he said. “I had the urge to make funny videos with my friends, and we did it. I submitted some of those videos to a film school, and I got in.”

Of course, it wasn’t all getting breaks and being in the right place, he said. There also was a lot of hard work.

“It’s a thing of working hard and staying true to yourself,” he said.

With technology today, there’s no reason why another teen in Milford, or anywhere else, can’t also become a film director, he said.

“It doesn’t matter where you are growing up because of the cameras that you have on your phones,” he said. “It’s definitely possible to make anything at any moment.”

Drama club can be watched on Nickelodeon at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday nights and it can be streamed on nick.com.

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From Celeb Secrets:

Get To Know the Cast of Nickelodeon’s Newest Series “Drama Club” (Watch)

Celeb Secrets sits down with the young actors to learn more about their new show!

Warm up your vocal cords, thespians! We found your new favorite TV show and it’s Nickelodeon’s mockumentary-style comedy series Drama Club.

On Saturday, March 20, the curtains rose and the world was introduced to Tookus Middle School Drama Club where they showed off not just their jazz hands and box squares, but how they are stepping up their game to be the best extracurricular on campus, too.

Students of Tookus Middle School might know Mack (Telci Huynh) for her starring roles in their drama productions, but this year the resilient and determined actress is taking on the responsibility as a student director and she’s ready to bring the department to new heights. In the first episode, Mack flexes her problem-solving skills as she tries to find a new choreographer in a short amount of time.

“Mackenzie is definitely this headstrong-driven girl. She’s very passionate about what she does,” says Telci in an exclusive Celeb Secrets interview. “She’s very supportive of all her friends in the drama club and she definitely takes on the leader role and helps everybody as they go on through the journey of middle school.”

Mack and her fellow classmates – Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), and Artyon Celestine (Skip), turns to the star football player Chase Vacnin (Bench) to save the day and to fill in as choreographer after their lead dancer gets injured!

Bench enters drama rehearsal with a coach-like mindset to whip the cast into tip-top shape, in order to get them ready to perform for their new principal, who happens to be a former professional dancer. Their goal is to gain respect and support from their principal to make their organization the best it has ever been.

“I am now the dance captain because the other dance captain got injured. I’m running this dance practice as if I’m the coach. All I know is ‘Okay, do it again!’ but, it’s really super funny because he’s so out of place and everyone’s looking at him like ‘do we have to do this?’ ‘This is what we have to do?’ shared Chase, while explaining his first day as captain.

DESCRIPTION: Episode 101: Pictured: Mack (Telci Huynh), Skip (Artyon Celestine), Darcy (Lili Brennan), Bianca (Kensington Tallman), Oliver (Nathan Janak), Bench (Chase Vacnin), Gertie (Neska Rose), Curtis (Reyn Doi), Mr. Sniffet (John Milhiser) and Principal Gibson (Ithamar Enriquez) in DRAMA CLUB on Nickelodeon. Photo: Robert Voets/Nickelodeon ©2021 Viacom, International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The brains behind the relatable teen sitcom are Monica Sherer and Madeline Whitby. The two did not just create a series about an overlooked drama club, but they carefully crafted a show that breaks down “typical” high school stereotypes. The Nickelodeon series produced by AwesomenessTV has life lessons implemented in each episode – such as, not sticking to the status quo, how to be your true authentic self, and the importance of following your passion.The creators of the lively production have casted a diverse company that many viewers can find repeatable and inspiring.

Celeb Secrets sat down with the Drama Club crew to learn more about their characters, the atmosphere on set, and some behind-the-scenes secrets that you would never know when watching the show.

New episodes of Drama Club air every Saturday at 8:30PM ET/PT on Nickelodeon.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon to Premiere 'The Barbarian and the Troll' on Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT)!

Originally published: Thursday, March 11, 2021.

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St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI Presents 'The SpongeBob Musical'

April 19, 2021, 4:55 pm

≫ Next: 'It's Pony', 'Rise of the TMNT' and 'The Adventures of Paddington' Receive Nominations in 48th Annual Annie Awards

≪ Previous: 'Drama Club' | Cast & Crew Interviews | Nickelodeon

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De Pere, WI - The St. Norbert College Music Theatre’s Next Stage program, a college-level music theatre experience for high school students, will present the award-winning production The SpongeBob Musical, Aug. 12-15, 2021. Tickets go on sale June 1, 2021.

Performer, crew and pit orchestra auditions, as well as performer call backs will take place in May 2021. For more information and to register to audition, visit https://www.snc.edu/nextstage/.

Next Stage is open to all high school students who are currently in their freshman year through and including seniors who graduate in spring 2021.

The SpongeBob Musical is the musical adaptation of Nickelodeon’s long-running animated children’s sitcom of the same name. The stakes are higher than ever in this dynamic stage musical, as SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Chaos erupts. Lives hang in the balance. And just when all hope seems lost, a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage. The power of optimism really can save the world!

Based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg

Book by Kyle Jarrow

Original Songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I.

And Songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley

Additional Lyrics by Jonathan Coulton

Additional Music by Tom Kitt

Musical Production Conceived by Tina Landau

Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants, and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

Roles - Character Breakdown

GENDERS – The writers of The SpongeBob Musical allow casting of any gender in any role.

Sandy Cheeks

Gender: Female

Voice: Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Part: Lead

Eugene Krabs

Gender: Male

Voice: Baritone

Part: Lead

Squidward Q. Tentacles

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor

Part: Lead

Patrick Star

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor

Part: Lead

Sheldon Plankton

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor

Part: Lead

SpongeBob SquarePants

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor

Part: Lead

Karen the Computer

Gender: Female

Voice: Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Part: Supporting

Pearl Krabs

Gender: Female

Voice: Mezzo-Soprano

Part: Supporting

Mayor of Bikini Bottom

Gender: Female

Voice: Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Part: Featured

Electric Skates

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Part: Featured

Perch Perkins

Gender: Male

Voice: Bass

Part: Featured

Patchy the Pirate

Gender: Male

Voice: Baritone

Part: Featured

French Narrator

Gender: Male

Voice: Spoken

Part: Ensemble

Sardines

Gender: Any

Voice: Any

Part: Ensemble

Security Guards

Gender: Any

Voice: Any

Part: Ensemble

Old Man Jenkins

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Part: Ensemble

Mrs. Puff

Gender: Female

Voice: Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Part: Ensemble

Gary the Snail

Gender: Any

Voice: Spoken

Part: Ensemble

Undersea Creatures

Gender: Any

Voice: Any

Part: Ensemble

BFF Letters

Gender: Any

Voice: Silent

Part: Ensemble

Larry the Lobster

Gender: Male

Voice: Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Part: Ensemble

More Nick:Concord Theatricals Acquires Licensing Rights for Nickelodeon's Broadway Hit 'The SpongeBob Musical'!

H/T: WeAreGreenBay.com.

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'It's Pony', 'Rise of the TMNT' and 'The Adventures of Paddington' Receive Nominations in 48th Annual Annie Awards

April 19, 2021, 5:12 pm

≫ Next: Classic Rugrats Comic Strips for April 13-18, 2021 | Nickelodeon

≪ Previous: St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI Presents 'The SpongeBob Musical'

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The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, has announced the exciting news that Nickelodeon has received five nominations in the 48th Annual Annie Awards, which recognizes the year’s best in the field of animation!

Update (4/20) - The Adventures of Paddington episode "Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru" (#109B) won the"Best TV/Media – Preschool" award at the 48th annual Annie Awards!

Voice actor Jessica DiCicco has been nominated for the "Best Voice Acting – TV/Media" award for her work voicing Annie in the It's Pony episode "Pet Pony/Dog Day" (#107).

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles received two nominations in the 2021 Annie Awards. Alan Wan has been nominated for the "Best Direction – TV/Media" award for his direction work on the episode "Battle Nexus NYC" (#211), and the Rise of the TMNT episode "Finale Part 4: Rise" (#213B) has received a nomination in the "Best TV/Media – Children" category.

Nickelodeon's animated preschool series The Adventures of Paddington also received two nominations in this year's Annie Awards. Negar Bagheri has been nominated for the "Best Production Design – TV/Media" award for her work on the episode "Paddington and Halloween" (#120A), and the episode "Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru" (#109B) has been nominated in the "Best TV/Media – Preschool" award category.

The 48th Annie Awards are set to be held virtually on Friday, April 16. Details are yet to be determined. A list of Annie Awards 2021 nominees can be found on Variety.

Below are the details for each of Nickelodeon's nominations in the 48th Annie Awards:

Best TV/Media – Preschool

The Adventures of Paddington, Episode: Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best TV/Media – Children

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Finale Part 4: Rise, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best Direction – TV/Media

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Battle Nexus NYC, Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Alan Wan

Best Production Design – TV/Media

The Adventures of Paddington Episode: Paddington and Halloween, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Negar Bagheri

Best Voice Acting – TV/Media

It’s Pony, Episode: Episode 107, Blue-Zoo Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Jessica DiCicco (Annie)

More Nick: Netflix Reveals 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie' Storyline!

Originally published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 18:43 GMT.

H/T: Anime Super Hero Forum /@SweetShop209.

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Classic Rugrats Comic Strips for April 13-18, 2021 | Nickelodeon

April 19, 2021, 5:22 pm

≫ Next: Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 19, 2021 | Nickelodeon

≪ Previous: 'It's Pony', 'Rise of the TMNT' and 'The Adventures of Paddington' Receive Nominations in 48th Annual Annie Awards

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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 13, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 14, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 15, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 16, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 17, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 18, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Watch classic Rugrats on Paramount+!

More Nick: Nickelodeon Taps All-Star Voice Talent Lineup for Iconic Grown-Up Roles in Brand-New Rugrats, Debuting Spring 2021 on Paramount+!

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: First Look: Nickelodeon's All-New Animated 'Rugrats' Reunites Members of the Original Voice Cast to Reprise Roles!

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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 19, 2021 | Nickelodeon

April 19, 2021, 5:24 pm

≫ Next: What's On Nick | Nickelodeon Premiere Highlights | Week 16

≪ Previous: Classic Rugrats Comic Strips for April 13-18, 2021 | Nickelodeon

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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 19, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Watch classic Rugrats on Paramount+!

More Nick: Nickelodeon Taps All-Star Voice Talent Lineup for Iconic Grown-Up Roles in Brand-New Rugrats, Debuting Spring 2021 on Paramount+!

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: First Look: Nickelodeon's All-New Animated 'Rugrats' Reunites Members of the Original Voice Cast to Reprise Roles!

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What's On Nick | Nickelodeon Premiere Highlights | Week 16

April 19, 2021, 5:41 pm

≫ Next: The Origin of Nickelodeon's 'Hey Arnold!'

≪ Previous: Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for April 19, 2021 | Nickelodeon

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Your guide to What's New on Nickelodeon for the week of Monday, April 19 - Sunday, April 25, 2021!

-->Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows on Paramount+!<--

For Nickelodeon's full highlights for April 2021, click here.

All times ET/PT.

-->Join the NickALive! Discord server!<--

Friday, April 23, 2021

11:00 a.m. - Blue's Clues & You! - Spring is Here!: It’s getting warmer outside, and the flowers are blooming – that must mean that spring is here! We play an outdoors game of Blue’s Clues to figure out what Blue wants to do on the first day of spring. (#217) [promo]

11:30 a.m. - Blaze and the Monster Machines - Sparkle's Racing Badge: It’s more Blaze family fun in this high octane, action-packed adventure as Blaze and his sister Sparkle team up to make it back to the Monster Dome in time for a big race. (#606)

12:00 p.m. - PAW Patrol - Pups Save Little Hairy/Pups Save a Kooky Climber: Big Hairy's little brother falls into a hole, and Tracker gets carried away by Big Hairy; Danny tries extreme rock climbing with Ace Sorenson. (#718) [promo]

12:30 p.m. - Baby Shark's Big Show! - Baby Shark's Big Show: Live From the Shark House:  Baby & William are coming to you live in a brand-new special where they’ll show you everything they love about Carnivore Cove! (#998; special) [info / promo]

7:00 p.m. - SpongeBob SquarePants - Knock Knock, Who's There?: SpongeBob watches Mr. Krabs’s house while he’s away, so he takes extreme measures to make sure no one breaks in. (#260A) [promos]

7:30 p.m. - The Barbarian and the Troll - Season of the Witch: The group arrives at the witch’s castle for an epic battle of swords and spells, and a surprise admission from Stacey that shocks her father. (#104)

8:00 p.m. - SpongeBob: Puppet Edition! Shorts - 'Wet Painters' - Puppet Edition!: The Pineapple Playhouse presents...WET PAINTERS IRL! SpongeBob and Patrick are tasked to paint the inside of Mr. Krabs' house, but will their felted forms get the task done? (#884)

More Nick:Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

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The Origin of Nickelodeon's 'Hey Arnold!'

April 19, 2021, 6:23 pm

≫ Next: ViacomCBS Networks International and Rakuten Announce Streaming, Content and E-Commerce Partnership in Japan

≪ Previous: What's On Nick | Nickelodeon Premiere Highlights | Week 16

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While playing around with the strangely-shaped characters in the Penny cartoons on Pee-wee's Playhouse, Craig created a football-shaped-headed kid.

If you look back at the history of Nickelodeon, it's pretty hard to deny the network's effect on pop culture. Not only did it launch the careers of the likes of Ariana Grande and a number of other stars, but the network also created a number of original shows that have contributed great joy to an entire generation. This, of course, includes Hey Arnold!

Craig Bartlett's Hey, Arnold! had 100 episodes in five seasons that aired from 1996 to 2004. There were also two spin-off movies, merchandise, and, most importantly, a massive and dedicated fanbase that came out of the show. But how exactly was Craig inspired to create a series about a football-shaped head kid who got himself into all sorts of trouble with his grandparents and his friends? Here's the truth about the origin of Hey, Arnold! and spoiler alert... it involves another childhood icon.

Photo: Nickelodeon Ooze News Archive

Pee-wee Herman Created Hey, Arnold! ... Sort Of

According to an interview by Vox, animator Craig Bartlett got his start creating the Penny cartoons on the children's show, Pee-wee's Playhouse. There was no bigger children's entertainer in the late 1980s than Paul Reubens and his strange man-child Pee-wee Herman. So, Craig getting a job animating the claymation segment of the show, which was a huge opportunity for him.

While playing around with the strangely-shaped characters in the Penny cartoons on Pee-wee's Playhouse, Craig created a football-shaped-headed kid... Yep... Arnold. Who was named after his wife's uncle.

According to a video on the history of Hey, Arnold!, the idea for the football-shaped head came to Craig just because it was an easy shape for him to mold out of clay. He put the eyes far out on the sides of the head because it gave the character, " a cool, sort of, Buddha-like look."

Out of this playful experimentation, Craig produced three shorts for the Penny cartoons that featured the Arnold character, "Arnold Escapes From Church" being the most famous.

Of course, Craig didn't quite know that playing around with clay would result in him creating one of the most beloved and memorable animated characters of the 1990s. But, he did know that adding Arnold into the Penny cartoons was worthwhile.

Pitching Ideas To Nickelodeon Fell Flat So Craig Had To Come Up With Something

As Craig felt more comfortable in his creativity, he decided he wanted to branch out and create a series of his own. This is what encouraged him to take meetings with Nickelodeon and pitch producer Mary Harrington a variety of ideas. All of these ideas had nothing to do with Arnold and none of them resonated with Mary and Nickelodeon.

So, Craig, as well as his creative partners, was feeling a little desperate. This is what caused someone to suggest that Mary take a look at the Penny cartoons from Pee-wee's Playhouse, just to get a better understanding of what Craig could do. Turns out, she loved them... Specifically, she loved Arnold. She then asked Craig what ideas he had for Arnold.

The only thing Craig had on Arnold, outside of the stuff on the Penny cartoons, was a comic panel that he did for Simpsons Illustrated. It featured Arnold 'jolting awake from a dream' screaming his guts out.

This strange comic strip was ultimately what sold Nickelodeon on doing an entire series based on a character that Craig created by accident. At the time, Craig was pitching the idea as a "Charlie Brown for the '90s". Funnily enough, this seemed to be an apt comparison.

Craig was also interested in exploring more adult themes, or, at the very least, themes that kids could actually relate to. Especially kids growing up in the lower-class parts of Portland, Seattle, and New York, which are the cities the show is based on. He also didn't want to let his characters off the hook by the end of the episode, like most children's cartoons did (and still do). He wanted to show real consequences and not 'wrap everything up in a nice bow'.

"[We were] making a show about a sensitive kid that really reflected emotionally what it’s really like to be a kid," Craig Bartlett said in an interview with Vox. "You’re kind of powerless. The adults run everything, and you don’t really have a say, where you have to make your own world."

This meant that the fun moments in the show would often have a harsher reality that allowed his characters to grow and learn from. But that didn't mean that it wasn't filled with fantasy and adventure.

"That was very much how my childhood was," Craig explained of his beloved show. "I just sort of had a huge inner life, because I didn’t think anyone knew or cared what I was doing. So I just kind of made up a dream world."

More Nick: First Look: Nickelodeon's All-New Animated 'Rugrats' Reunites Members of the Original Voice Cast to Reprise Roles!

Original source: The Things.

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ViacomCBS Networks International and Rakuten Announce Streaming, Content and E-Commerce Partnership in Japan

April 20, 2021, 11:24 am

≫ Next: April, May and June 2021 on Nickelodeon Germany and Nick Jr. Deutschland | Highlights

≪ Previous: The Origin of Nickelodeon's 'Hey Arnold!'

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ViacomCBS Networks International and Rakuten Announce Streaming, Content and E-Commerce Partnership in Japan

Nick+ to launch in Japan on Rakuten TV

Rakuten to host Nickelodeon’s first-ever digital storefront in Asia on Japan’s leading e-commerce platform, Rakuten Ichiba

Tokyo, April 20, 2021 - ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC) and Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced the signing of a broad long-term agreement, which includes the launch of Nick+, Nickelodeon’s kids’ streaming service, on Rakuten’s video-on-demand platform Rakuten TV in Japan, covering mobile, STB/dongle, web and Smart TV devices. The partnership also includes the creation of a dedicated Nickelodeon zone on Japan’s leading e-commerce platform, Rakuten Ichiba.

“This long-term agreement with Rakuten, a key player in the media and e-commerce industry, connects the world of streaming to the world of consumer products for the first time. The integration of Nick+ and the Nickelodeon digital storefront into the Rakuten Ecosystem will enable us to create an interconnected Nickelodeon experience for consumers and leverage strategic cross-platform promotional opportunities,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President & CEO of ViacomCBS Networks International. “This innovative deal is testament to ViacomCBS’ expertise in developing unique and versatile partnerships and it will allow us to explore additional collaboration opportunities outside of Asia.” 

"We are very excited to partner with ViacomCBS Networks International to bring their iconic brands and top-tier content to new audiences through our streaming and e-commerce platforms," said Koji Ando, Rakuten Group Managing Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of Rakuten's Communications & Energy Company. "Through these new initiatives, families across the country will have even more reasons to engage with our services and enjoy the rich customer experience of the Rakuten Ecosystem. We look forward to building on this partnership to deliver even more entertaining content and initiatives in the future."

Nick+, a subscription service, is planned for launch on Rakuten TV on April 28, 2021, bringing many of the most popular series from the Nickelodeon library to Japanese audiences. Kids and families will be able to watch on demand favorite shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues & You!, Deer Squad, The Loud House, Game Shakers, The Thundermans and more.

In addition to hit kids and family entertainment via the Nick+ service, Rakuten will host the first-ever Nickelodeon digital storefront in Asia on the Rakuten Ichiba internet shopping mall in Japan. Showcasing a collection of select Nickelodeon products from multiple merchants, Japanese audiences will be able to easily purchase products featuring some of the brand’s most beloved characters from iconic franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the new dedicated e-commerce zone on Rakuten Ichiba. Products will cover multiple categories, including fashion, stationery and collectibles.

Nick+ will be available on Rakuten TV's official site and mobile app, STB/dongle, web and Smart TV devices as of April 28, while the digital Nickelodeon storefront on Rakuten Ichiba is planned for launch in May 2021.

About ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI)

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), is comprised of many of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Its portfolio includes Channel 5, Telefe, Network 10, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, as well as streaming services Paramount+ and PlutoTV, and ViacomCBS International Studios, among others. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.

About Rakuten

Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.4 billion members around the world. Rakuten has over 20,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.

About Rakuten TV

A live streaming and video-on-demand service provided by Rakuten offering users in Japan approximately 210,000 pieces of content covering movies, dramas, anime, sports, such as Pacific League Japanese pro baseball, and stage shows. The videos can be viewed on various devices, including smartphones, computers and TVs. Information on compatible devices can be found on the Rakuten TV official site: https://tv.rakuten.co.jp/static/guide/device

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More Nick:Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

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April, May and June 2021 on Nickelodeon Germany and Nick Jr. Deutschland | Highlights

April 20, 2021, 12:07 pm

≫ Next: Favorite Food Combos w/ Hayley LeBlanc and Corinne Joy 👯‍♂️ | HOT MESS Ep. 2 | Nickelodeon

≪ Previous: ViacomCBS Networks International and Rakuten Announce Streaming, Content and E-Commerce Partnership in Japan

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Below is a round-up of Nickelodeon Germany's (Deutschland) April, May and June 2021 programming highlights for Nick, Nicktoons and Nick Jr.!:

Nickelodeon Germany and Nick Jr. Deutschland's Januar, Februar und März 2021 highlights can be found here.

April, May and June 2021 on Nickelodeon Deutschland

This April, Mai und Juni, Nick Deutschland will be airing:

-- Brand new episodes of Nickelodeon’s Spyders staffel zwei (2)!:

- Thursday 1st April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Die Falle

- Monday 5th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Alles auf Anfang

- Tuesday 6th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Der zweite Kristall

- Wednesday 7th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Stunden

- Thursday 8th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Die Mission

- Monday 12th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Der Fremde

- Tuesday 13th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Nikkis Geheimnis

- Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Der Countdown

- Thursday 15th April 2021 at 19:10 Uhr: Alles oder nichts

- Thursday 15th April 2021 at 19:40 Uhr: Wettlauf gegen die Zeit (Finale der zweiten Staffel)

-- Brand new episodes of Das ist Pony!:

- Monday 5th April 2021 at 17:15 Uhr: Böses Hühnchen - FREE-TV-NEU

- Tuesday 6th April 2021 at 17:15 Uhr: Gerrys Museumsführung - FREE-TV-NEU

-Wednesday 7th April 2021 at 17:15 Uhr: Der Parkschein -  FREE-TV-NEU

- Thursday 8th April 2021 at 17:15 Uhr: Clara hat keine Zeit - FREE-TV-NEU

- Friday 9th April 2021 at 17:15 Uhr: Lautes Pferd - FREE-TV-NEU

-- Brand new episodes of Danger Force:

- Tuesday 15th April 2021 at 18:45 Uhr: Chapas Schwarm

- Thursday 29th April 2021 at 18:45 Uhr: Die Petze

- Thursday 6th May 2021 at 18:45 Uhr: Der Streiche-Streit (1)

-- Brand new episodes of Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan:

- Tuesday 6th April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Lügen ist anstrengend

- Thursday 8th April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Dylan’s Tagebuch

- Tuesday 13th April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Ein lehrreicher Moment

- Thursday 15th April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Eine Stunde Rap

- Tuesday 20th April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Das Paket

- Thursday 22nd April 2021 at 11:15 Uhr: Rhythmus im Blut

-- Brand new episodes of Group Chat! [more info]:

- Friday 9th April 2021 at 11:40 Uhr: Party Time – Wrap Battle

- Thursday 15th April 2021 at 11:40 Uhr: The Takeover Part 1: Donut-Filled Surprise

- Friday 16th April 2021 at 11:40 Uhr: The Takeover Part 2: Tater Tot Toss (Finale der zweiten Staffel)

-- Brand new episodes of Side Hustle!:

- Monday 15th March 2021 at 18:50 Uhr: sneak peek

- Saturday 20th March 2021 at 19:22 Uhr: Die Jobsuche (Serienpremiere)

- Sunday 21st March 2021 at 19:22 Uhr: Das Wundervitamin

- Saturday 27th March 2021 at 19:22 Uhr: Der Flohmarkt

- Sunday 28th March 2021 at 19:22 Uhr: Schmutzige Jobs

- Saturday 24th April 2021 at 18:50 Uhr: Freundejahrestag

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 18:50 Uhr: Milchshake Schnellschlürfen

-- Brand new episodes of SpongeBob Schwammkopf!:

- Saturday 1st May 2021 at 13:15 Uhr: Klopf, klopf, wer ist da? (Knock Knock, Who's There?)

- Sunday 2nd May 2021 at 13:15 Uhr: Planktons Praktikant (Plankton’s Intern)

-- Brand new episodes of Die Waldtruppe (Deer Squad)!:

On Nicktoons:

- Monday 3rd May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Operation Doppelgänger / Recycling-Tag

- Tuesday 4th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Wolkenkunst / Das grosse Rennen

- Wednesday 5th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Der Multi-Übersetzer / Die Blumenshow

- Thursday 6th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Angriff der Drohnen / Der Schleim-Macher

- Friday 7th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Captain Steel / Ohne Wasser geht es nicht

- Monday 10th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Schwerelos / Der Ball ist los

- Tuesday 11th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Lolas Flug-Schau / Der Abwasserkanal

- Wednesday 12th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Klein gegen Groß / Der Kiefernzapfen-Turbo

- Thursday 13th May 2021 at 06:42 Uhr: Die Überraschungsparty / Beeren in Gefahr

-- Brand new episodes of Barbapapa und Familie:

- Sunday 11th April 2021 at 10:20 Uhr: Die Schatzsuche / Leben in der Natur - FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 11th April 2021 at 10:45 Uhr: Das fuchsienrote Meer / Kein Müll mehr

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 10:20 Uhr: Kleiner Schluckauf – große Folgen / Ruhe bitte - FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 10:45 Uhr: Barbabravo hat’s schwer / Das fiese Riesenhuhn FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 10:20 Uhr: Für Mama / Barba-Karamboulage FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 10:45 Uhr: Ein Barba-Märchen / Das Reich der Barbababys FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 2nd May 2021 at 10:20 Uhr: Der wandelnde Magen / Wo ist Bali? FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 2nd May 2021 at 10:45 Uhr: Barbahelle hat ein Geheimnis / Der Stromfresser FREE-TV-NEU

-- Nickelodeon Orange Carpet:

- Various times throughout the month.

-- Brand new episodes of Tanzt jetzt los (Ready Set Dance)!:

- Sunday 11th April 2021 at 09:40 Uhr: Klebe-Klebe-Fuß - FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 09:30 Uhr: Splash Back Stamp - FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 09:45 Uhr: Top Rocking - FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 09:30 Uhr: Superhelden im Anflug -  FREE-TV-NEU

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 09:40 Uhr: Ein supercooler Freeze FREE-TV-NEU

-- Brand new episodes of Blaze und die Monster-Maschinen:

- Saturday 10th April 2021 at 08:20 Uhr: Die Rettungs-Baumannschaft -  FREE-TV-NEU

- Saturday 17th April 2021 at 08:20 Uhr: Polizist Blaze -  FREE-TV-NEU

- Saturday 1st May 2021 at 08:20 Uhr: Ninja-Suppe FREE-TV-NEU

-- Nickelodeon Deutschland will also be airing movies and specials:

- Various times throughout the month.

April, May and June 2021 on Nick Jr. Germany (Deutschland)

This April, Mai und Juni, Nick Jr. Deutschland will be premiering:

-- Brand new episodes of Blues Clues und Du:

- Sunday 4th April 2021 at 18:30 Uhr: Blue’s große Backshow

- Monday 5th April 2021 at 23:55 Uhr: Blues große Tanzparty

- Tuesday 6th April 2021 at 23:55 Uhr: Willkommen in Blues Bistro

- Wednesday 7th April 2021 at 23:55 Uhr: Ein Schlaflied mit Blue

- Thursday 8th April 2021 at 23:55 Uhr: Blues grosse Fantasie

 

-- Brand new episodes of PAW Patrol:

- Wednesday 12th May 2021 at 18:55 Uhr: Die festsitzenden Bürgermeister

- Thursday 13th May 2021 at 18:55 Uhr: Die Gameshow

-- A brand new episode of Blaze und die Monster-Maschinen:

- Thursday 1st April 2021 at 4:05 Uhr: Das Rennen rund um die Welt

-- Brand new episodes of Abby Hatcher:

- Sunday 9th May 2021 at 09:55 Uhr: Die superstarke Curly / Super-Babysitterin Abby

- Monday 10th May 2021 at 09:55 Uhr: Otis und der Snack-Automat / Abbys Werkzeugtasche dreht durch

- Tuesday 11th May 2021 at 09:55 Uhr: Der verschwundene Schnulli / Chef Beth kommt zu Besuch

- Wednesday 12th May 2021 at 09:55 Uhr: Teeny Terrys Lieblings-Sportart / Abbys Leichtathletiktag

- Thursday 13th May 2021 at 09:55 Uhr: Abby und der Kostümball / Großer Helfer – kleiner Helfer

-- Brand new episodes of Barbapapa und Familie:

- Sunday 11th April 2021 at 23:15 Uhr: Die Schatzsuche / Leben in der Natur

- Tuesday 13th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Kleiner Schluckauf – große Folgen / Ruhe bitte

- Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Barbabravo hat’s schwer / Das fiese Riesenhuhn

- Thursday 15th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Für Mama / Barba-Karamboulage

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 23:15 Uhr: Ein Barba-Märchen / Das Reich der Barbababys

- Monday 19th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Der wandelnde Magen / Wo ist Bali? 

- Tuesday 20th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Barbahelle hat ein Geheimnis / Der Stromfresser

- Wednesday 21st April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Barba-Fernsehen / Im Museum

- Thursday 22nd April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: : Barbazoo kann nicht „Nein“ sagen / Der Doppelgänger

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 23:15 Uhr: Barbabravo ist außer Form / Geduld, Barbabravo

- Monday 26th April 2021 at 23:10 Uhr: Die sieben Lebensmittel / Das Fell-Portrait

-- Brand new episodes of Butterbean’s Café:

- Sunday 18th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Eiscreme für alle / Die Café -Fotografin

- Monday 19th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Das Rennen um die Torte / Eine Überraschung für Butterbean

- Tuesday 20th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Inspektion für Süßer Fratz / Pfadfinder-Kekse

- Wednesday 21st April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Schlummerbohne / Discofieber

- Thursday 22nd April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Butterbean’s Lied

- Sunday 25th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Feuerwehrmann Jasper / Cookie eilt zu Hilfe

- Monday 26th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Cricket’s erste Portion Feenkraft / Schwierige Zimtschnecken

- Tuesday 27th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Cricket! / Freundlicher Franki!

- Wednesday 28th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Der große Geburtstagsschluckauf  / Skater Kartoffeln

- Thursday 29th April 2021 at 22:20 Uhr: Die Leuchtbeeren-Fee / Die Marme-Hüte

Das war's mit Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)



Nick's Ostereierei Indent (Nick Deutschland)



Prank Alarm bei Nick Vorschau für den 01.04.2021 (Nick Deutschland)



Jetzt geht's weiter mit Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)



Gleich geht's weiter mit Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)



Werbung Anfang | Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)



Jetzt geht's los mit Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)



Werbung Ende | Nick's Ostereierei (Nick Deutschland)

Willkommen bei den Louds Festtage Vorschau | April 2021 (NickToons Deutschland)

Dorg Van Dango - Täglich bei NickToons (NickToons Deutschland)

Prank Alarm bei Nick Vorschau 2 für den 01.04.2021 (Nick Deutschland)

Barbapapa Neue Folgen Vorschau für den 11.04.2021 (Nick Deutschland)

Willkommen bei den Louds Festtage Vorschau 2 | April 2021 (NickToons Deutschland)

Das ist Pony! Vorschau | Ab 3. Mai 2021 (NickToons Deutschland)

Prank Alarm bei Nick Vorschau | April 2021 (Nick Deutschland)

Mehr Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Sunday, March 28, 2020.

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Favorite Food Combos w/ Hayley LeBlanc and Corinne Joy 👯‍♂️ | HOT MESS Ep. 2 | Nickelodeon

April 20, 2021, 12:12 pm

≫ Next: ViacomCBS Expands NickToons' Presence in Russia and Neighbouring Countries

≪ Previous: April, May and June 2021 on Nickelodeon Germany and Nick Jr. Deutschland | Highlights

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Favorite Food Combos w/ Hayley LeBlanc and Corinne Joy 👯‍♂️ | HOT MESS Ep. 2 | Nickelodeon

Hayley LeBlanc and Corinne Joy go together like peanut butter and jelly. Coincidentally, one of them is about to get stuck sandwiched in the world's largest PB&J! See how well these BFFs know each other in a battle of classic combos, and who will end up a HOT MESS.

Welcome to Hot Mess, the new Nickelodeon game show that puts how well you know your bestie to the challenge - whoever knows the less gets the mess! Catch new episodes every Friday on the Nickelodeon YouTube channel! Watch episode one here!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2021/04/know-your-bff-challenge-w-elliana_16.html

More Nick:Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

#HotMess​ #HayleyLeBlanc​ #CorinneJoy

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Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

ViacomCBS Expands NickToons' Presence in Russia and Neighbouring Countries

April 20, 2021, 12:46 pm

≫ Next: Nickelodeon Russia to Premiere New Influencer-Led Game Show 'Hero at Home'

≪ Previous: Favorite Food Combos w/ Hayley LeBlanc and Corinne Joy 👯‍♂️ | HOT MESS Ep. 2 | Nickelodeon

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ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC) has announced that it is rapidly expanding the presence of Nickelodeon's NickToons channel in Russia and neighbouring countries!

Nicktoons became available on on MegaFon and NetByNet in Russia on January 1, 2021, and on NTV-Plus and Orion in Russia, as well as on Magticom and Silknet in Georgia on April 1, 2021. Nicktoons will also launch on Er-Telecom on June 1, 2021, and will also broadcast on a large number of regional networks.

Elena Balmont, Senior Vice President (SVP) of ViacomCBS Networks International in Russia, CIS, Baltic States, Ukraine and Georgia said "We are very pleased that NickToons is now available to an even larger number of viewers in several countries. The expansion of the channel's broadcasting is a response to audience demand for quality animated series and films. ViacomCBS leads the world in animated content production and is actively strengthening its linear TV business in Russia, and children's brands are among our most successful and fastest-growing segments."

NickToons is part of the ViacomCBS family of children's TV channels, which has consistently demonstrated excellent ratings and positive growth dynamics. In 2020, the audience share of ViacomCBS children's TV channels grew by 27% compared to 2019^[1]. NickToons' audience share grew even stronger year-over-year, by 77%^[2].

NickToons broadcasts cartoons 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which will appeal to boys and girls of primary and secondary school age. Animated hits such as Penguins of Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and Avatar: The Legend of Aang are available exclusively on the channel. The NickToons library also features a wide selection of Nickelodeon content, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Loud House. More than 400 hours of animated series are available to viewers each year, including up to 160 new episodes.

ViacomCBS Networks International also announces that Spike TV will cease broadcasting in Russia on June 1, 2021. This decision reflects ViacomCBS' focus on its flagship brands in order to realise their full potential on a global scale.

[1] Source: Mediascope, TV Index+, 01.01.19 - 31.12.19; 01.01.20 - 31.12.20, 05:00-29:00, Russia, cities 100.000, share %, audience 4+

[2] Source: Mediascope, TV Index+, 01.01.19 - 31.12.19; 01.01.20 - 31.12.20, 05:00-29:00, Russia, cities 100.000, share %, audience 6-15

Official ViacomCBS Russia press release:

VIACOMCBS УСИЛИВАЕТ СВОИ ПОЗИЦИИ В СЕГМЕНТЕ ДЕТСКОГО ТВ В РОССИИ

На фоне растущего спроса на качественный анимационный контент ViacomCBS Networks International расширяет вещание телеканала NickToons в России и близлежащих странах

19.04.2021

С 1 января 2021 года NickToons доступен в сетях Мегафон и NetByNet, а с 1 апреля 2021 года – в сетях «НТВ-Плюс» и «Орион» в России, а также Magticom и Silknet в Грузии. С 1 июня телеканал смогут посмотреть абоненты оператора «Эр-Телеком». Помимо этого, NickToons будет вещать в большом количестве региональных сетей – их список можно найти на сайте.

Елена Бальмонт, старший вице-президент ViacomCBS Networks International в России, странах СНГ, Балтии, Украине и Грузии: «Мы очень рады, что NickToons теперь доступен еще большему числу зрителей сразу в нескольких странах. Расширение вещания телеканала – ответ на запрос аудитории на качественные анимационные сериалы и фильмы. ViacomCBS занимает лидирующие позиции в мире в производстве анимационного контента и активно укрепляет свой бизнес линейного ТВ в России, а детские бренды – среди наших самых успешных и быстрорастущих сегментов».

NickToons входит в семейство детских телеканалов ViacomCBS, которое стабильно демонстрирует превосходные рейтинги и позитивную динамику роста. В 2020 году доля аудитории детских телеканалов ViacomCBS выросла на 27% по сравнению с 2019 годом[1]. Доля аудитории NickToons за год выросла еще сильнее – на 77%[2].

NickToons круглосуточно транслирует мультфильмы, которые будут интересны мальчикам и девочкам младшего и среднего школьного возраста. Эксклюзивно на телеканале можно посмотреть такие анимационные хиты, как «Пингвины из Мадагаскара», «Кунг-фу Панда» и «Аватар: Легенда об Аанге». Кроме того, в библиотеке NickToons – широкая подборка контента Nickelodeon, в том числе «Губка Боб Квадратные Штаны», «Черепашки-ниндзя» и «Мой шумный дом». Ежегодно зрителям доступно свыше 400 часов мультсериалов, в том числе до 160 новых эпизодов.

Также ViacomCBS Networks International сообщает, что трансляция телеканала Spike в России будет прекращена до 1 июня 2021 года. Это решение отражает фокус ViacomCBS на флагманских брендах медиахолдинга с целью полной реализации их потенциала в глобальном масштабе.

[1] Источник: Mediascope, TV Index+, 01.01.19 – 31.12.19; 01.01.20 – 31.12.20, 05:00-29:00, Россия, города 100.000, доля %, аудитория 4+

[2] Источник: Mediascope, TV Index+, 01.01.19 – 31.12.19; 01.01.20 – 31.12.20, 05:00-29:00, Россия, города 100.000, доля %, аудитория 6-15

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Больше Nick:НА KIDS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021 УСТАНОВЛЕН МИРОВОЙ РЕКОРД ПО ОБЛИВАНИЮ СЛАЙМОМ!

Originally published: Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

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Nickelodeon Russia to Premiere New Influencer-Led Game Show 'Hero at Home'

April 20, 2021, 12:48 pm

≫ Next: Brazilian Actor Ana Lucia Menezes Passes Away, Aged 46

≪ Previous: ViacomCBS Expands NickToons' Presence in Russia and Neighbouring Countries

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Nickelodeon Russia (Россия) has announced the launch of Hero at Home (Герой дома), a brand new game show produced locally by Nickelodeon Россия and XO Production, a team of influencers led by Herman Chernykh!

Unique in its format, the series is comprised of 15 x 22-minute episodes, each of which is dedicated to one of the popular vloggers from the XO Team: Eva Miller, Binet Senn, Максу Слакису, Чане and others.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nickelodeon Россия (@nickelodeon_ru)

Each episode begins with the hero waking up in an unfamiliar space, where they are met by the host of the show, Andrei Ray, and is asked to go through several challenges hidden behind three doors. For every challenge the vlogger passes, they're awarded points. In the 15th and final episode, all the contestants will meet face-to-face and take part in the final challenge, which will determine who will win the title "Hero of the house".

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Герой дома will premiere on Nickelodeon Россия on Saturday 27th February 2021 at 17:00 MCK, with new episodes airing weekends at  17:00 MCK.

From TV Mag:

Премьера шоу «Герой дома»

«Герой дома» – новое игровое шоу, произведенное Nickelodeon Россия совместно с XO Production – командой инфлюенсеров под руководством Германа Черных. Уникальное в своем формате шоу включает в себя 15 серий по 22 минуты, каждая из которых посвящена одному из популярных блогеров: Еве Миллер, Бинет Сенн, Максу Слакису, Чане и другим. Эпизод начинается с того, что герой просыпается в незнакомом для себя пространстве, где его встречает ведущий шоу Андрей Рэй и предлагает пройти через несколько испытаний, спрятанных за тремя дверями, за прохождение которых герою начисляются баллы. В 15-м, финальном эпизоде все участники встретятся лицом к лицу, чтобы пройти итоговый челлендж и узнать, кто же станет Героем дома. Смотрите премьеру шоу «Герой дома» с 27 февраля в 17:00 по выходным на канале Nickelodeon Россия.

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From srsly.ru:

Участники XO Team снимутся в новом шоу на телеканале Nickelodeon

Развлекательные диджитал-форматы участники тикток-хауса XO Team уже давно освоили: в июле 2020 года они начали снимать веб-сериал «Тайна дома XO» в тиктоке, а в ноябре запустили на ютьюбе собственное реалити-шоу Xo Team: Reality. Теперь же блогеры решили выбраться за пределы виртуального пространства — они станут героями нового телешоу.

Проект получит название «Герой дома». Он будет выходить на телеканале Nickelodeon с 27 февраля. Какие-либо подробности грядущей премьеры пока неизвестны, но, судя по тизеру, опубликованному в инстаграме, участниками станут Лиза Василенко, Ева Миллер, Герман Черных, Марк Макаров, Чана Ник, Макс Немцев, Кристи Крайм, Бинет Сенн, Коля Пак и другие. В проморолике для каждого из героев указаны характеристики силы и ловкости, как будто они являются персонажами видеоигры. Как эти параметры помогут тиктокерам на съемках шоу, пока не ясно. 

«Герой дома» станет не первым проектом, в котором участники XO Team появятся в ближайшее время. Часть мужской половины блогерского объединения снялась для обложки февральского номера Elle Girl, и, как рассказал SRSLY фэшн-директор журнала Игорь Ерин, уже скоро тиктокеры станут участниками недавно запущенного редакцией «Шоу маминой подруги» на ютьюбе. Тимуру Сорокину, Максу Немцеву, Владу Хошину и Володе XXL предстоит погрузиться в «мир девушек» и сыграть с Темой Пименовым в игру, напоминающую «Правду или действие», где им нужно будет отвечать на личные вопросы и выполнять различные задания. В двух уже вышедших эпизодах Андрей Ноилс, Влад Левский, Влад Беренич и Макс Мерш красили ногти, ходили на каблуках, делали макияж Пименову и фанатке, тестировали восковые полоски для эпиляции, исполняли танец живота и надевали женскую одежду. 

Другие тикток-хаусы тоже не отстают и исправно радуют поклонников новым контентом, а некоторые даже возрождают некогда успешные, но забытые проекты. Артур Бабич из Dream Team House, к примеру, пообещал вернуть совместное с Даней Милохиным скетч-шоу «Лолик и Болик», и даже опубликовал в тиктоке несколько тизеров. Однако есть один нюанс: шоу выйдет только тогда, когда Бабич поставит новый личный рекорд и преодолеет отметку в 10 млн подписчиков в тиктоке. Сейчас на платформе коротких видеороликов на него подписано 9,2 млн человек, так что ждать осталось недолго. Напомним, что премьера абсурдного мини-сериала от участников Dream Team House состоялась осенью 2020 года — проект тогда получил немало положительных отзывов. 

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Official Nickelodeon Russia Press Release:

NICKELODEON РОССИЯ ЗАПУСКАЕТ ШОУ СОБСТВЕННОГО ПРОИЗВОДСТВА «ГЕРОЙ ДОМА» С УЧАСТИЕМ ИНФЛЮЕНСЕРОВ

02.03.2021

27 февраля на Nickelodeon Россия — премьера игрового шоу собственного производства «Герой Дома», произведённое телеканалом совместно с XO Team, командой инфлюенсеров во главе с Германом Черных.

Каждый эпизод шоу посвящен одному из участников популярного блогерского дома XO Team, суммарное количество подписчиков которых превышает 27 миллионов человек. Помимо блогеров в шоу примут участие и специальные гости, личности которых пока хранятся в секрете.

Перед главным героем каждого эпизода стоит задача пройти три испытания и заработать как можно больше баллов. Вместе с Андреем Рэй, ведущим шоу, инфлюенсеры попадают в мистическое место с тремя дверьми, за которыми скрываются испытания разной сложности. За каждое задание начисляются баллы. От количества собранных баллов будет зависеть, кто победит в финальной схватке и получит звание «Герой Дома».

Перед каждым испытанием герою выпадает случайный бонус — суперспособность персонажа Nickelodeon. Так, например, ум главной героини мультсериала «Мой шумный дом» Лизы Лауд позволит справиться со сложной задачей, а благодаря способности Губки Боба Квадратные Штаны впитывать воду можно увеличить свой вес почти в два раза. Однако участникам стоит быть осторожными, ведь бонусы могут как упростить прохождение испытания, так и сделать его невозможным.

Всего в эфире телеканала выйдет 15 серий по 22 минуты, а каждую неделю участники шоу будут проводить конкурсы в Instagram и ВКонтакте среди своих подписчиков и разыгрывать призы. Все эпизоды будут доступны на YouTube канале Nickelodeon Россия после премьеры, где еще можно будет посмотреть, как снималось шоу, а также увидеть, как и где живут блогеры.

Премьера шоу «Герой Дома» пройдет на телеканале Nickelodeon Россия 27 февраля в 17:00 по московскому времени, а новые эпизоды будут выходить в эфир каждые выходные в 17:00 по московскому времени c повтором в 10:30.

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КТО ПОЛУЧИТ ЗВАНИЕ “ГЕРОЙ ДОМА”: ФИНАЛ ШОУ NICKELODEON РОССИЯ С УЧАСТИЕМ БЛОГЕРОВ ХО TEAM

15.04.2021

Кто получит звание “Герой Дома”: Финал шоу Nickelodeon Россия с участием  блогеров ХО Team

17 апреля в эфир телеканала Nickelodeon Россия выйдет финальный эпизод первого сезона шоу «Герой Дома» с блогерами команды XO Team , премьера которого состоялась в феврале этого года. На протяжении 14 серий инфлюенсеры соревновались за титул «Герой дома», и в субботу мы наконец узнаем имя победителя.

В течение двух месяцев команда XO Team проходила задания на силу, выносливость и сообразительность в телевизионном эфире. Зрители могли наблюдать, как герои готовили огромную пиццу, показывали свою физическую подготовку в испытаниях со спиннером размером с надувной бассейн и пытались разбить 10 арбузов за две минуты.

В съемках приняли участие двенадцать блогеров и два специальных гостя. Так, в последних сериях главными героями эпизодов стали Дима Билан и талантливая исполнительница Lidus, которая вместе с ребятами из XO Team сделала кучу сумасшедших селфи и пыталась построить башню из панкейков высотой в один метр. В выпуске с Димой мы увидели, как он выполнял задания на ловкость и концентрацию. Он также упомянул когда ждать его новый трек.

Также на официальном YouTube-канале Nickelodeon Россия выходили ролики, где блогеры рассказали про забавные моменты со съемочной площадки. Гэри провёл экскурсию по дому, в котором живёт команда XO, а Ева Миллер показала свою комнату и продемонстрировала коллекцию косметики.

Напоминаем, что все уже вышедшие выпуски шоу и рум-туры с участниками “Герой Дома” можно посмотреть на YouTube-канале Nickelodeon Россия, а финальный эпизод выйдет в эфире телеканала уже в эти выходные. В нем все участники соберутся вместе, а зрителей будут ждать новые неожиданные сюрпризы.

Смотрите финал шоу на Nickelodeon Россия 17 апреля в 17:00 по московскому времени и узнайте, кому же повезет получить звание «Герой Дома».

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Больше Nick:BLACKPINK, BTS, THE WEEKND И БЛОГЕРСКИЕ ДОМА: NICKELODEON ОБЪЯВИЛ НОМИНАНТОВ ПРЕМИИ KIDS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021!

Originally published: Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Additional source: Alamy.

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Brazilian Actor Ana Lucia Menezes Passes Away, Aged 46

April 20, 2021, 2:20 pm

≫ Next: Nickelodeon Brazil to Air 'Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years' Sneak Peek on Friday 23rd April 2021

≪ Previous: Nickelodeon Russia to Premiere New Influencer-Led Game Show 'Hero at Home'

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The Brazilian actor Ana Lucia Menezes, who provided the voices of Sam Puckett and Susie Ovelha (Susie Sheep) on the Brazilian-Portuguese dubs of iCarly and Peppa Pig, respectively, sadly passed away today (Tuesday 20th April 2021) in Rio de Janeiro after suffering a stroke last week. She was 46.

Photo: Instagram.

Obituary (obituário) via CNN Brasil:

Morre Ana Lucia Menezes, dubladora de 'Peppa Pig' e 'iCarly'

Dubladora de 45 anos foi vítima de um Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) e estava internada

A atriz e dubladora Ana Lucia Menezes, de 45 anos, morreu nesta terça-feira (20) vítima dos danos de um Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) ocorrido na semana passada. Ela chegou a ser submetida a cirurgias e estava internada desde o ocorrido, mas não resistiu. 

A filha da dubladora, Bia Menezes, publicou uma mensagem nas redes sociais confirmando a morte. A informação sobre o óbito veio a público acompanhada de uma homenagem à mãe. 

"Esse texto estava preparado desde sexta, eu já sabia. Você não voltou pra mim. Mas voltou para sua casa. seu lar. sua morada ao lado do nosso Pai. E estou grata a Deus por isso, grata a Deus por te levar para os braços Dele, grata a Deus por FAZER, não foi do nosso jeito, mas foi da maneira mais perfeita possível, como tudo que Ele faz (sic)", diz o texto.

 "Você escreveu uma história aqui, e eu terei a obrigação de continuá-la porque sei que seria exatamente como você gostaria que eu fizesse. Você lutou até o último minuto, agora é hora de descansar e usufruir do que Deus preparou para Ti. Eu te amo e sempre te amarei, até a eternidade (sic)", finaliza.

Dentre os personagens interpretados por Ana estão Sam Pucket, da série da Nickelodeon ''iCarly"; Lupita, do seriado mexicano "Rebelde" e a ovelha Suzy, de Peppa Pig.

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R.I.P. Ana Lucia Menezes, January 22, 1975 - April 20, 2021

Nickelodeon Brazil to Air 'Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years' Sneak Peek on Friday 23rd April 2021

April 20, 2021, 2:43 pm

≫ Next: Little Sunny Bite Launches Garfield Fashion Range in Japan

≪ Previous: Brazilian Actor Ana Lucia Menezes Passes Away, Aged 46

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Nickelodeon Brazil (Brasil) will be treating fans to a spongeriffic first look at Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, Nickelodeon's first-ever SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off on Friday 23rd April 2021 at 18:00! Similar to the sneak peek earlier this month on Nick USA, the episode scheduled to air is "Sugar-Squeeze!/Tag, You're It" (#102). The news follows Paramount+ adding the first six episodes of the series in March.

Additionally, Nickelodeon Brasil will host a interactive SpongeBob-themed Nick Master Game, in which fans can tune into Nick weekdays from 15:00 between Monday 26th - Friday 30th April 2021 and interact with programming via nickelodeon.com.br and dedicated apps.

The sneak peek of Kamp Koral and Nick Master Game are part of Nickelodeon's Abrilíssimo da Nick programming stunt.

From N10 Entretenimento:

Nickelodeon exibe Kamp Koral, primeiro spin-off de Bob Esponja

Nesta sexta-feira, 23 de abril, às 18h, a Nickelodeon vai exibir o segundo episódio inédito do (novíssimo!) spin-off do Bob Esponja, Kamp Koral. Com 6 episódios no total, a animação completa está disponível no serviço de streaming da ViacomCBS, Paramount+.

Kamp Koral é a primeira produção derivada de Bob Esponja. A animação é uma série original em CG que leva a audiência de volta ao tempo em que os personagens icônicos da Fenda do Biquíni se encontraram pela primeira vez em um acampamento de verão. Eles constroem fogueiras, caçam águas-vivas, exploram a natureza e criam fortes laços de amizade.

Além disso, o canal irá oferecer o jogo Nick Master Game, no site oficial da Nick (nickelodeon.com.br) a partir de 26 de abril. O jogo, temático do Bob Esponja, convida o público a participar, de segunda a sexta-feira, às 15h, com seus dispositivos e interagir com a programação do canal diretamente na TV através de curiosidades dos momentos dos episódios exibidos. É diversão em dobro, tudo junto ao mesmo tempo!

Programação faz parte do Abrilíssimo da Nick, especial que contou com estreias incríveis no mês de abril para curtir com toda a família, incluindo a segunda temporada de Spyders, o lançamento da série Side Hustle e Santiago dos Mares, no Nick Jr.

SERVIÇO – ABRILÍSSIMO

Nickelodeon

Kamp Koral – 2º episódio

Estreia: sexta-feira, 23 de abril, às 18h.

Spyders – 2ª temporada

Exibição Regular: toda segunda-feira, às 19h.

Side Hustle

Exibição Regular: toda segunda-feira, às 20h.

Bob Esponja – Nick Master Game

Interação: a partir do dia 26 de março, de segunda a sexta-feira, sempre às 15h.

Nick Jr.

Santiago dos Mares

Exibição Regular: toda segunda-feira, às 18h30.

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Mais Nick: ViacomCBS Américas Unveils Nickelodeon Latin America's 2021 Slate at Annual Upfront!

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Little Sunny Bite Launches Garfield Fashion Range in Japan

April 20, 2021, 3:10 pm

≫ Next: April 2021 on Nick Jr. Global: Easter | Santiago of the Seas | Butterbean's Café | Blue's Clues | Blaze | Barbapapa & More

≪ Previous: Nickelodeon Brazil to Air 'Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years' Sneak Peek on Friday 23rd April 2021

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Nick News Mini: The Tokyo-based fashion brand Little Sunny Bite from designer Yoppy has collaborated with ViacomCBS Consumer Products to launch a range of apparel and accessories inspired by the beloved orange cat, Garfield (のガーフィルド), and his girlfriend Arlene!

The line spans cardigans and camisoles, long tees, and mini bags in a variety of colours and sizes, all featuring images and iconography inspired by the iconic brand.

The Garfield x Little Sunny Bite collection is available to shop now at https://littlesunnybite.com/collections/all-item.

More Nick: ViacomCBS Networks International and Rakuten Announce Streaming, Content and E-Commerce Partnership in Japan!

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April 2021 on Nick Jr. Global: Easter | Santiago of the Seas | Butterbean's Café | Blue's Clues | Blaze | Barbapapa & More

April 20, 2021, 3:31 pm

≫ Next: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge' to Be Released on Nintendo Switch

≪ Previous: Little Sunny Bite Launches Garfield Fashion Range in Japan

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Below is a round-up of Nick Jr. Global's programming highlights for April 2021!

More Highlights:

March 2021 on: Nickelodeon International | NickToons Global | Nick Jr. Global | TeenNick Europe

April 2021 on:Nickelodeon International | NickToons Global | TeenNick Europe

About Nick Jr. Global and this guide: Nick Jr. Global is available in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Germany (Deutschland), New Zealand, Africa, Poland (Polska), Flanders (Vlaanderen), Wallonia (Wallonie), Denmark (Danmark), Sweden (Sverige), Norway (Norge), Arabia (جَزِيرَةُ الْعَرَب), Turkey (Türkiye), the Netherlands (Nederland), and the Middle East. Based on Nick Jr. Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) schedule. All times CET. Please check local listings for localised air times. Unless otherwise noted, localised episode titles are Hungarian (Magyar).

--- This April, Nick Junior Global will be airing:

-- Brand new episodes of Abby Hatcher:

- 2021-04-10 22:00 2x05 Ugri szupererős lesz / Abby és a kis bolyhoska (Super-Strength Curly / Super-sitter Abby)

- 2021-04-11 22:00 2x06 Bozont és a nasigép / Az elszabadult barkácsdoboz (Otis and the Snack Machine / Abby's Runaway Care Case)

- 2021-04-12 22:00 2x07 Bébi Dó cumija / Séf néni (Little Doh's Lost Binky / Chef Beth)

- 2021-04-13 22:00 2x08 Pöttöm Pali sportja / Abby és az atlétikanap (Teeny Terry's Perfect Sport / Abby's Track and Field Day)

- 2021-04-14 22:00 2x09 Abby and The Costume Ball / Big Terry: Fix-It Fuzzly

- 2021-04-15 22:00 2x10 Otis' Sick Day / Lights, Camera, Fuzzlies

- 2021-04-16 22:00 2x11 Fuzzly Beach Day

- 2021-04-17 22:00 2x12 A Princess and the Peepers / The Perfect Job for Mo and Bo

- 2021-04-18 22:00 2x13 Teeny Terry: Safety Officer / Abby Babysits Melvin

- 2021-04-19 22:00 2x14 Princess Flug Goes Skiing / Mo and Bo's Big Art Show

- 2021-04-20 22:00 2x15 The Blossom Band

- 2021-04-21 22:00 2x16 Mo and Bo Hit the Road / Happy Fuzzly Birthday

- 2021-04-22 22:00 2x17 Bozzly and the Baby / Fuzzly Lemonade Stand

- 2021-04-23 22:00 2x19 Teeny Terry Takes Off / Grumbles the Squeaky Peeper

"Abby Hatcher" is locally titled "Abby Hatcher kedvencei" in Hungary and "Abby şi prietenii pufoşi" in Romania.

-- Brand new episodes of Blue's Clues & You!:

- 2021-04-05 19:20 2x07 Azúr sütödéje (Blue's Big Baking Show)

- 2021-04-06 19:20 2x10 Azúr nagy táncos bulija (Blue's Big Dance Party)

- 2021-04-07 19:20 2x06 Köszöntlek az Azúr étteremben (Welcome to Blue's Bistro)

- 2021-04-08 19:20 2x09 Altató éneklés Azúrral (Sleepy Singalong with Blue)

- 2021-04-09 19:20 2x11 Blue's Big Imagination

"Blue's Clues & You!" is locally titled "Azúrkék nyomok és te" in Hungary and "Pe urmele lui Blues" in Romania.

-- Brand-new episodes of Butterbean's Café:

- 2021-04-19 10:00 2x11b A fényképezőgép (Fairy Food Fails!)

- 2021-04-20 10:00 2x11a Fagylaltkehely mókanap (Ice Cream Funday)

- 2021-04-21 10:00 2x12b Babi elfoglalt (Busy, Busy Butterbean)

- 2021-04-22 10:00 2x12a Verseny a varázsbefejezésért (Race to the Fairy Finish!)

- 2021-04-23 10:00 2x14b Nana nagyi és a smoothie! (Oldies But Smoothies!)

- 2021-04-26 10:00 2x14a Az alvós bab! (Sleepy Bean)

- 2021-04-27 10:00 2x16b Szabadítsd ki Sütit! (Cookie to the Rescue!)

- 2021-04-28 10:00 2x16a Jáspis, a tűzoltó (Firefighter Jasper)

- 2021-04-29 10:00 2x18a Bűbáj első varázsbefejezése (Cricket's First Fairy Finish!)

- 2021-04-30 10:00 2x18b A cseles ragacs bab (Tricky Sticky Buns!)

"Butterbean's Café" is locally titled "Babi kávézója" in Hungary and "Cafeneaua Bobiței" in Romania.

-- Brand new episodes of Barbapapa - One Big Happy Family:

- 2021-04-12 18:55 1x14 Kincskeresés / Éljen a természet (The Treasure Hunt / Going into the Wild)

- 2021-04-13 18:55 1x15 A fukszia színű világ / Nulla hulladék (The Fuchsia Ocean / Zero Waste)

- 2021-04-14 18:55 1x16 Hiccupism / Silence please

- 2021-04-15 18:55 1x17 Where did it go Barbabravo? / The big bad hen

- 2021-04-16 18:55 1x18 Clock and dance / Barbapileup

- 2021-04-19 18:55 1x20 Relay tales / The barbababies' world

- 2021-04-20 18:55 1x21 Greedyguts / Where is Bali?

- 2021-04-21 18:55 1x22 Barbabright has a secret / Super duper cool

- 2021-04-22 18:55 1x23 Barba TV / The museum

- 2021-04-23 18:55 1x24 Barbazoo can't say ''no'' / The doppelganger

- 2021-04-26 18:55 1x25 Barbabravo is not feeling well / Be patient Barbabravo...

- 2021-04-27 18:55 1x26 The seven foods / The perfect portrait - season one finale

"Barbapapa - One Big Happy Family!" is locally titled "Barbapapa és családja" in Hungary and "Familia Barbapapa" in Romania.

-- A brand new episode of Blaze and the Monster Machines season 5:

- 2021-04-01 17:45 5x17 A földkörüli verseny (The Race Around the Earth)

"Blaze and the Monster Machines" is locally titled "Láng és a szuperverdák" in Hungary and "Blaze şi maşinile uriaşe" in Romania.

-- The brand new show Santiago Of The Seas [info]:

- 2021-04-26 18:10 1x01 Calavera kapitány legendája (The Legend of Capitán Calavera) - series premiere

- 2021-04-27 18:10 1x02 A varázstávcső  / Az élet köve (The Magic Spyglass / The Stone of Life)

- 2021-04-28 18:10 1x03 Irány a világítótorony / Az arany óriás (To The Lighthouse / The Golden Giant)

- 2021-04-29 18:10 1x05 A teknősök éjszakája / A hajóverseny (The Night of the Turtles / Santiago's Regatta)

- 2021-04-30 18:10 1x07 Kincs az égben / Barátcsere kalamajka (The Treasure in the Sky / Sidekick Switcheroo)

"Santiago Of The Seas" is locally titled "Santiago és a tenger" in Hungary.

-- Special marathons:

- 2021-04-03/04 12:20-16:25 Easter (Húsvét)

- 2021-04-22 16:10-18:55 Earth Day Marathon (Föld napi maraton)

-- A selection of Nickelodeon Preschool movies and specials every Sunday at 08:20, replayed the following Saturday at 08:20:

- 2021-04-04 - Dora the Explorer: Dora's Fairytale Adventure (Dóra, a felfedező: Dóra Mesebeli kalandja)

- 2021-04-11 - PAW Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue! (A mancs őrjárat: Vigyázz, kész, mentés!)

- 2021-04-18 - Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids (Dóra, a felfedező: Dóra megmenti a hableányokat)

- 2021-04-25 - Blaze and the Monster Machines: Race to the Top of the World (Láng és a szuperverdák: Verseny a világ tetejére)

From mundoplus.tv:

Maratón de Semana Santa en Nick Jr.

¿Hay algo mejor que las vacaciones de Semana Santa? ¡Sí! Cuando estas vienen acompañadas de episodios de las mejores series de Nick Jr. Así, el sábado 3 de abril a partir de las 12:25h el canal trae una programación especial con episodios temáticos de Semana Santa de «Blaze y los Monster Machines», «Bubble Gupies», «Top Wing», «La Patrula Canina», «Rusty Rivets» y «Butterbean´s Café».

La Semana Santa ha llegado y Nick Jr. sabe que la mejor forma de celebrarlo es con un maratón de las series favoritas de los niños. El sábado 3 de abril a partir de las 12:25h estos podrán ver cómo en uno de los episodios de Blaze y los Monster Machines Blaze pondrá a prueba sus nuevos poderes de robot para rescatar a un conejito que está atrapado en la cima de un glaciar que está derritiéndose; o cómo el grupo de amigos de Bubble Gupies seguirá el rastro de un huevo de Pascua para encontrar al escurridizo Conejito Ostra.

Además, ¡los mejores equipos de rescate también estarán presentes este día! Así, los pequeños de la casa podrán acompañar al equipo de Top Wing en su misión de rescatar al comodoro Pavoski y a sus pavitos; y a La Patrulla Canina en la búsqueda anual de huevos de Pascua de Bahía Aventura y en su misión para poner a salvo a Olivia el avestruz después de que caiga dentro de un cañón. ¿Conseguirán ambos equipos superar sus misiones a tiempo?

¡Pero el día no ha terminado! Los fans del canal también podrán disfrutar de la tecnología e inventos de Rusty Rivets, ya que Rusty y Ruby construirán su propio raptor para rescatar a Frankie Fritz en la Dino-isla; y de un episodio de Butterbean´s Café en donde Cricket saldrá a recuperar los huevos de Pascua de Butterbean que Spork y Spatch se han llevado.

Nickelodeon celebra el sábado 3 de abril a partir de las 12:25h su propia Semana Santa con un maratón compuesto por episodios especiales de Blaze y los Monster Machines, Bubble Gupies, Top Wing, La Patrula Canina, Rusty Rivets y Butterbean´s Café.

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From Diez Minutos:

Santiago de los mares (Nick Jr.). Santiago y su tripulación de marineros, formada por su primo Tomás, la cantante Lorelai y su rana Kiko, descubrirán la cultura latino-caribeña en esta serie animada para los más pequeños, que se estrena el lunes 26.

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More Nick: ViacomCBS Launches TeenNick Channels in Hungary and Romania!

áprilisi; évadzáró; új sorozat; Filmek, különkiadások áprilisban - minden vasárnap 08:20-kor, ismétlés szombaton 08:20-kor.

Originally published: Monday, March 22, 2021.

Original source: Mentrum.

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'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge' to Be Released on Nintendo Switch

April 20, 2021, 3:43 pm

≫ Next: Loot Crate's May 2021 Boxes to Feature Tons of Nickelodeon Goodies

≪ Previous: April 2021 on Nick Jr. Global: Easter | Santiago of the Seas | Butterbean's Café | Blue's Clues | Blaze | Barbapapa & More

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Publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games in partnership with Nickelodeon today announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is bringing its classically inspired brawling action to Nintendo Switch. The news was part of Nintendo Indie World presentation and follows previous confirmation of the game coming to PC.

During the Nintendo Indie World Showcase, Tribute Games Co-Founder Jean-Francois Major and Dotemu CEO Cyrille Imbert confirmed the heroes in a half shell are chasing the Foot Clan to Switch before sharing new gameplay footage. The Turtles unleash radical special moves and gnarly combos in the footage, bashing foes throughout areas reminiscent of classic TMNT games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. Catch the side scrolling action by viewing the gameplay trailer:

The fully animated music video that precedes the gameplay stays lyrically faithful to the original opening theme song. The animation style is crisp and clean while also paying homage to the show's late 80's origins. It features action shots of the ninja turtles doing battle with classic enemies like Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady, as well as seemingly unending spawns of Foot Clan soldiers. April O'Neil is sporting some fierce combat moves of her own in the opening sequence, along with Master Splinter. And, of course, there's plenty of pizza. At the end of the musical opening, the trailer seamlessly transitions into shots of actual gameplay that Switch owners will get to experience.

Back in March, the company previously debuted a 90-second reveal trailer featuring a high-action reimagining of the Nickelodeon show's original opening theme, followed by actual snippets of gameplay. The trailer revealed today, however, takes its time to focus specifically on what each ninja turtle brings to the table combat-wise. Leonardo can be seen unleashing a flurry of sword blows after charging his powers up by whomping on Foot Clan soldiers. Michelangelo turns into a whirlwind of nunchuck strikes after doing the same. A fully-charged Donatello is shown spinning around like a deadly ballerina, sending Foot Clan soldiers flying with his impressive bo-staff. Finally, a red-flashing Raphael saves a steaming-hot pizza by flinging enemies around with his sais. The last few seconds of the trailer showcase different levels such as an outdoor street brawl outside of a pizza shop; a vandalized news studio and its (also vandalized) fancy lobby; and a boss fight in an outdoor junkyard — all reminiscent of classic TMNT games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time.

The gameplay trailer also focuses on the co-op aspect of the game. You can play with up to 3 friends, each one taking on the role of a turtle brother as you fight your way through the various levels to save the day. Features of the game announced by Dotemu promise "gnarly" 80's inspired game design, old-school gameplay combined with enhanced, modern-day mechanics and a "radical" new story mode.

The release date for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is still yet to be announced, but as of now it will be available on both Nintendo Switch and PC. Grab a slice and check out the new gameplay trailer above! COWABUNGA!

Official press release from Games Press via Gamasutra:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Coming to Nintendo Switch, Kicks Shell in New Gameplay Trailer

PARIS (April 14, 2021) - Publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games in partnership with Nickelodeon today announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is bringing its classically inspired brawling action to Nintendo Switch. The news was part of Nintendo's Indie World presentation and follows previous confirmation of the game coming to PC.

 

During the Nintendo Indie World Showcase, Tribute Games Co-Founder Jean-Francois Major and Dotemu CEO Cyrille Imbert confirmed the heroes in a half shell are chasing the Foot Clan to Switch before sharing new gameplay. The Turtles unleash radical special moves and gnarly combos in the footage, bashing foes throughout areas reminiscent of classic TMNT games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. Catch the side scrolling action by viewing the gameplay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemOAwU-9fo

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge’s lively battles are backed by original music from Tee Lopes, a composer and arranger previously featured in Sonic Mania, League of Legends, and Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom among other releases. A sample of Lopes’ wickedly energetic melodies can be heard in today’s gameplay trailer.

 

Inspired by the Turtles’ iconic 1987 design, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge brings New York City’s most righteous ninjas to life with gorgeous pixel art that’d look right at home in your favorite retro arcade. From showdowns with infamous rivals like Bebop and Rocksteady to returns to signature locales like Dimension X, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is a bodacious celebration of classic TMNT beat-em-ups with its own modern touches.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge joins two retro gaming experts: Dotemu, the developer and publisher known for faithful ports as well as impeccable remakes and continuations of beloved gaming series including Streets of Rage 4, the smash hit nominated for Best Action game at The Game Awards 2020, as well as the upcoming Windjammers 2 and highly lauded Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap; and Tribute Games, the studio behind retro-themed original IPs including Panzer Paladin, Flinthook and Mercenary Kings which embody the spirit of classic games in new experiences. Tribute Games also houses key talent behind the acclaimed Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game beat-em-up and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game released for Game Boy Advance in 2007.

 

For more TMNT gaming updates, visit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge official site (https://www.shredders-revenge.com/), wishlist the game on Steam, follow @Dotemu and @TributeGames on Twitter, and join the Discord (https://discord.gg/gZPw59bEAZ).

 

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About Dotemu

Dotemu is a French video game company specializing in modern releases of beloved retro games. Our mission is simple: give every gamer access to yesteryear’s classic video games on today's platforms, including PC, mobile, console and more. Working alongside the world’s most cherished and recognized publishers, the Dotemu team has published a number of global top-sellers across both PC and console including Streets of Rage 4, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, with additional development and publishing work on Windjammers 1 and 2, several games in the Ys series, and more.

 

Founded in 2007, Dotemu leverages its considerable technological know-how to maintain the original spirit of classic games while giving them a second life as rediscovered gems for a new generation of gamers.

 

About Tribute Games

Tribute Games is a studio developing and publishing video games with a focus on pixel art and classic game design. The Montreal-based studio has been steadily creating entertaining, challenging and retro-inspired games since 2011 using modern game development processes and technology. In 2020, Tribute Games announced the start of a publishing division to help smaller developers publish their game.

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(Photo: DotEmu, Tribute Games)

(Photo: DotEmu, Tribute Games)

From ComicBook.com:

How the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Developers Are Reviving the Classic TMNT Gaming Experince

The classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gaming experience is returning with Shredder's Revenge, a new game that Dotemu and Tribute Games announced in March. Nintendo confirmed that the game would come to the Nintendo Switch by showing it off during its Indie World showcase in April. Shredder's Revenge is built in the classic beat 'em up mold, drawing inspiration from old school Turtles games, including Turtles In Time, widely regarded as a peak-beat 'em up experience. ComicBook.com got in touch with some of the folks at Tribute and Dotemu who are working on Shredder's Revenge via email to discuss how it came to be and their hopes and plans for the game. Like any young person in the 1980s and early 1990s, the people working on Shredder's Revenge were caught up in Turtlemania.

"TMNT was a big part of my childhood – through the video games, of course, but I also have fond memories of watching the show on Wednesday afternoons with a bowl of cereal," says Cyrille Imbert, executive producer/CEO at Dotemu. "I also LOVED the toys, had lots of them and kept them for quite some time."

"As a kid of the '80s, I grew up playing with Turtles action figures and watching the TMNT animated show in my Turtles pajamas," says Jean-Francois Major, the CEO of Tribute Games. "I would spend every summer in Florida where my parents would bring us to Grand Prix Race-O-Rama, which was arcade heaven. I spent all my tokens on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game. However, at the time, I never managed to beat it in one sitting.

"When Turtles in Time came out, I was, unfortunately, a Genesis owner. My next-door neighbor was lucky enough to pick it up. I remember spending every school lunch break at his house playing the game. That is when the phrase 'Big Apple, 3 A.M.' was engraved in my head. I still get goosebumps hearing it to this day."

It's hard to imagine a better team to revitalize the TMNT beat 'em up experience than Dotemu. The French developer and publishing studio is hot off their successful revitalization of another iconic beat 'em up franchise with Streets of Rage 4, which the studio released last year.

"Simple and fun games are timeless. It's just that sometimes we… forget about them," Imbert explains when asked about the studios' continued fascination with beat 'em ups. "But many of us did not; we just feel the need to see them return while reminding everyone how good they were. We want to also show how well they can fit in the current gaming world if they strike the right balance between legacy and modernity."

While Tribute Games wasn't a part of Streets of Rage 4, the team shares a love of the beat 'em up genre. They also have members who worked on the game that some fans consider the Turtles' last great beat 'em up experience and another game considered a modern classic of the genre.

"While Tribute had no input on the amazing Streets of Rage 4, a few of our founding team members had the chance to work on TMNT for Gameboy Advance and Scott Pilgrim back at Ubisoft," says Major. "Beat 'em ups are like an old bike you haven't ridden in a long while. They're super easy to pick up and feel comfortable. And the experience is always amplified when shared with friends."

Like the Turtles themselves, the origin of Shredder's Revenge sounds like something from a comic book. Dotemu and Tribute were both pitching Nickelodeon to get the rights to make a new TMNT game. However, they soon realize that they shouldn't be working against each other but joining forces.

"Nickelodeon came to us after the launch of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap," Imbert recalls. "They liked our work on that title and wanted to know if we would be interested in working with them on one of their licenses. When I saw TMNT in the list, it just started to make sense. Later I learned that Tribute Games was also pitching Nickelodeon on a similar project. I knew Tribute Games were veteran developers with a very solid lineup and that their work is perfectly in line with what we love at Dotemu. So for me, it was clear as water; instead of working against each other, we should work together! So I contacted Jonathan [Lavigne, Tributes Games' co-founder] and Jean-François, and we talked a bit, which confirmed our common vision and love for TMNT. We joined forces to present a united project concept, and Nickelodeon liked it. Now here we are!"

Major adds, "The fit just made so much sense, and we felt joining forces would make our pitch all that more compelling. And now that the news is out, I'm confident in saying this was the right move to make."

Reviving a classic game franchise or genre can be tricky business. Developers who don't pay appropriate homage to what came before will earn the scorn of retro fans, but not updating the game to meet today's expectations risks disappointing modern audiences. Major explained how they're approaching that challenge.

"The toughest part in reviving old memories is striking the perfect balance between old and new," he says. "If you've ever played an old game you used to love 30 years ago today, you probably noticed your memories were somewhat skewed. The challenge lies in returning as close to those memories as possible while adding all the new quality of life features modern gamers are accustomed to. A great example of this is how in the old Turtles games, if you weren't perfectly aligned with your target, your hits would not connect. Today, we need to implement systems that will try to figure out what you intended to do and slightly align your character for you, so the hit connects.

"We feel the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games from the '80s, and early '90s were the games to beat in that era," he continues, expanding on Tribute's hopes for Shredder's Revenge. "They changed the landscape in a big way. Our goal is to go back to those golden days and give everyone a chance to relive the excitement that came with throwing Foot Soldiers to the screen or tossing Bebop and Rocksteady on their butts with a few friends."

Major also touched on another risk inherent in reviving an older franchise: what if it turns out that the people making the new game are the only ones who miss the old games? Luckily, the response to the Shredder's Revenge announcements has helped assuage those fears.

"You always wonder if you are the only one screaming for a throwback," Majors says. "It's something we've been meaning to do for such a long time, but you wonder 'are we the last ones left with this feeling?' I think the reaction to the news mostly confirmed the timing is right. All the social media testimonies we've heard over the past weeks prove there is a shared passion for this to happen. We're not so alone in this crazy pursuit after all! It puts a big smile on my face to read every comment and suggestion. As Turtles fans ourselves, we share the same level of excitement, and I personally can't wait to show off more."

In closing, Imbert tells fans, "Thanks, everyone, for your support and super awesome feedback. We will do our very best to meet your expectations. Quality takes time, so please bear with us!"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge releases later this year.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Readies Next Chapter of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with All-New CG-Animated Theatrical Release Produced By Point Grey Pictures!

Originally published: Wednesday, April 14, 2021.

Source: Collider.

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