Nickelodeon bets on ‘Rugrats’ revival in animation

They may be young, but the young animation characters that make up the Rugrats are not to be missed.

Nickelodeon stopped making original episodes of the iconic series in 2004, but will re-launch the program in 2021, bringing together many of the actors who have given voice to the children at the center of the series and adding a wide range of new actors to many of their parents. “It is a huge responsibility. It’s such a beloved franchise, ”said Brian Robbins, president of Nickelodeon at ViacomCBS, in an interview. “We have a lot of the original creative team back, including the voice cast of all the babies. This is exciting and is a giant seal of approval. “

The children’s media giant is betting on a wide range of new animation projects – it hired more than 500 people last year at its animation studio and put more than 50 projects in development – to attract children and parents like Nickelodeon and its rivals adapt to an era in which an increasing amount of their audience is watching new programs via broadband, in addition to linear TV. Some of Nickelodeon’s new series may appear first on Paramount Plus, ViacomCBS’s new video streaming hub and Jo Ann Ross, president and director of advertising revenue for its US ad sales, says the company is open to developing packages that encompass both traditional TV and streaming inventory.

Nickelodeon will feature animated series based on “Star Trek,” “Monster High,” “The Smurfs” and “Big Nate,” along with a “SpongeBob SquarePants” spinoff that puts the character Patrick Star at the center of things. The network announced a new series, “ZJ Sparkleton”, a comedy produced by Nelvana that follows a 10-year-old vlogger and his best alien friend. “The Hamster Show” is aimed at children of preschool age and follows a group of hamsters who protect an eight-year-old child who they believe to be their king.