Shell-Shocked: Nickelodeon Nabs NINJA TURTLES

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You know how all those Marvel fans felt when Disney bought their favorite comic book heroes? Well, I wish we Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans were lucky enough to have Disney buy the turtles.

ComingSoon.net reported yesterday that Nickelodeon has acquired the worldwide rights to Mirage Studios’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’d like to have the same faith I had in this acquisition as I did when Iron Man joined the Mouse House, but I trust that Disney isn’t going to ask Marvel not to be Marvel. Any hope of getting a motion picture that closely resembles the original TMNT comics has been dashed with this purchase.

From the Nick press release on CS:

Nickelodeon also announced plans to develop a new CG-animated television series based on the popular superhero franchise, anticipated to premiere in 2012. Additionally, in partnership with Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, a new release of a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature film is also planned for 2012. Nickelodeon has also acquired all merchandising rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and will continue to work with its original and long-standing toy partner, Playmates Toys, which has been the creative force behind the successful TMNT master toy program over the last two decades.

I’ll just set the bar so low that I can’t be disappointed when the new CG-animated TV series and a new feature film hit in 2012. As long as we get through this without an angsty Raphael popping up on TeenNick’s Degrassi or Mikey getting his own show on Nick, Jr., everything will be OK.