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Nickelodeon buys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rights

By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 10/21/2009 1:29:00 PM

NEW YORK—Nickelodeon has acquired global rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from The Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment for approximately $60 million.

The acquisition provides Nickelodeon with global intellectual property rights to the TMNT characters, including those for telelvision, movie and merchandising.

Nickelodeon said its first moves for the property will include a new computer animated TV series, anticipated to premiere in 2012, and a partnership with Viacom's Paramount Pictures for a feature film, also planned for 2012.

Nickelodeon added that it will continue to work with long-standing TMNT toy licensor Playmates Toys.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shares a comedic sensibility with the Nickelodeon DNA, with added layers of action and fantasy that have kept this property an evergreen favorite with multiple generations of audiences," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. "We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to be able to focus on this property and creatively re-introduce it to a new generation of kids."

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is based on four mutant turtles trained in the art of Ninjitsu who battle evil from the New York sewers. The property’s animated television series, jointly produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios, will continue to air on TheCW4Kids Saturday morning programming block on The CW network through Aug. 31, 2010.

Commenting on the deal, 4Kids Entertainment Chairman and CEO Alfred Kahn said: "We enjoyed our eight-year partnership with Mirage during which 4Kids and Mirage re-launched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise for a new generation of kids around the world ...We will also work with Mirage and Viacom so that our Turtles' licensees can be assured of a seamless transition."

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