In advance of the Paramount Pictures release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Mayhem, in theaters on August 2, Nickelodeon is expanding the beloved franchise again with the acquisition of the original 1987 animated Fred Wolf TMNT series (193 x 22-min episodes, 1987-1996).

Under the deal,Nickelodeon has acquired global rights to the storied series, which follows the adventures of the beloved characters—Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo—as they battle the Shredder, Krang and other villains and criminals. The series is slated to debut digitally later this month in the U.S., followed by Nickelodeon branded channels and digital platforms internationally.

The news was revealed during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2023. The Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon movie follows the Turtle brothers as they set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts after years of being sheltered from the human world. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Considered one of the most popular kids’ franchises, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. It first debuted as a successful comic book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a live-action television series and later spawned numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse, winning in every category that has hit shelves to date—with toys, apparel, video games, DVDs and more—and generating billions of dollars at retail.