In the world of entertainment today, TV producers and filmmakers rely heavily on reboots and spinoffs for ratings and success. Nostalgia has become somewhat of a selling point. Nickelodeon is a great example of bringing back adults to its network so that they can rewatch classic shows such as Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The network produces new shows as well for the kids of this generation such as its most popular cartoon, Paw Patrol.
The parent company of Nickelodeon, Viacom, is acquiring the rights to the beloved comic strip, Garfield. Brian Robbins, the president at Nickelodeon, is excited for the network to create a TV series revolving around the Monday-hating cat.
“This acquisition marks another step in our evolution toward being kids’ first stop for the best new content and characters, so we’re incredibly happy to have Garfield join our growing roster of globally loved franchises and to introduce this cool cat to a new generation of fans,” said Robbins.
Jim Davis’s popular comic strip had previously been adapted for two TV shows, Garfield and Friends on CBS and The Garfield Show on Cartoon Network. The cat had also ventured into two big movie projects, Garfield: The Movie and Garfield: A Tale of Two Kittens.
Sarah Levy, the Viacom Media Networks COO, realizes the value of developing new content for such an iconic cartoon.
“Great content is core to the strength of our brands, and Garfield is a beloved character that continues to be part of the cultural zeitgeist with universal resonance across all ages,” said Levy. “The acquisition of Paws, Inc. provides another opportunity for Viacom to leverage our platforms to extend the global reach of iconic IP.”
Jim Davis continues to write the Garfield comic strips with the same levels of passion and hope like before.
“I’ve always tried to make people laugh with humor that is classic and appealing to both kids and adults,” explained Davis. “I’m delighted that Garfield is going to be placed in the capable hands of the folks at Nick. They know how to entertain and will be great stewards for the franchise. I am also excited to continue to do the thing that gets me out of bed every morning — the comic strip.”