The streaming wars entered a new front this week with the much-touted debut of Disney+. Now, as Cartoon Network teams up with HBO Max, Nickelodeon and Netflix have formed a new alliance that consists of a multi-year output deal to produce original animated feature films and television series. The new programming will be based on the Nickelodeon library of characters, as well as all-new IP developed specifically for kids and families around the world.
“Nickelodeon has generated scores of characters that kids love, and we look forward to telling wholly original stories that re-imagine and expand on the worlds they inhabit,” says Netflix Vice President of Original Animation Melissa Cobb. “We’re thrilled to continue collaborating with Brian Robbins, Ramsey Naito, and the creative team at Nickelodeon in new ways as we look to find fresh voices and bring bold stories to our global audience on Netflix.”
The aforementioned collaborations have already brought several popular Nickelodeon titles to Netflix, including the animated specials Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling and Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (pictured top). Additional specials based on The Loud House and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are currently in the pipeline.
“Nickelodeon’s next step forward is to keep expanding beyond linear platforms, and our broader content partnership with Netflix is a key path toward that goal,” says Brian Robbins, president of Nickelodeon.