Paramount in Talks to Revive Classic NickToon Series
Over the decades, Nickelodeon has made a name for itself in the cable network sphere by producing original animated series that have withstood the test of time. One of the biggest examples has been SpongeBob SquarePants, which has continued to release new episodes for decades following its premiere. With other series like Rugrats, Doug, and Avatar: The Last Airbender receiving sequels, it seems as though another classic series might be making a comeback. A creator of one of Nickelodeon’s biggest NickToons has confirmed that talks have started with Paramount to return to a certain animated urban environment.
In a recent interview at the outlet TheDirect with Hey Arnold! producer Joe Purdy, it was revealed that there had been “discussions” when it came to bringing back Nickelodeon’s resident “football head.” Specifically, the writer/producer confirmed that there had been talks amongst higher-ups to see the NickToon return: “Absolutely. Yes, yes, yes. There is an ever-changing environment of the business and people who are making decisions. It’s the cliché story, but be sure we are having conversations.” Purdy also went so far as to confirm that they wouldn’t be looking to “age-up” the likes of Arnold, Helga, Gerald, and the other cast members outside of maybe a year or two. “Would they be much older? Probably not. I think a year or two older. They’re so beloved.”
When We Last Left Arnold
This potential Paramount revival wouldn’t be the first time that Arnold and company would return from limbo to hit the screen. Following five seasons and one hundred episodes, the series ended in 2004, though this wasn’t the end of Hey Arnold! surprisingly enough. In 2017, Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie premiered on Nickelodeon, bringing back the characters for the first time in years while also making some big changes to the universe. Should a revival series actually be confirmed in the future, the movie’s events would surely be taken into consideration.
For those who might not know, The Jungle Movie saw Arnold and his friends traveling to the Amazon, hoping to learn the fate of the protagonist’s parents. Throughout the original NickToon series, Arnold was raised by his grandparents as his folks were lost in the jungle, with many believing them deceased. Luckily, Arnold’s parents were found and returned to the city, so they would most likely have a role in a potential Hey Arnold! revival. On top of this surprising comeback, Helga also expresses her affection for Arnold, and the two seemingly become a couple in the film’s final moments.
As mentioned earlier, the NickToons have seen countless sequel series and/or revivals that have been released over the years. Even franchises like Rocko’s Modern Life and Invader Zim were brought back from the dead by Netflix, as the streaming service created original movies to focus on these universes once again. With the Paramount/Warner Bros merger around the corner, it will be interesting to see what the fusion of the two studios will mean for Nickelodeon’s biggest animated properties.
