TMNT One-Hour Event To Debut September 29 On Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon launches an all-new, CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT) in a special one-hour television event, bringing the turtles up from the sewers with the mythology and comedic sensibility for a new generation of fans. The series stars Jason Biggs (American Pie) as "Leonardo," Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) as "Raphael," Rob Paulsen (Planet Sheen) as "Donatello" and Greg Cipes (Teen Titans) as "Michelangelo." Additional cast members rounding out this iconic hit franchise include Mae Whitman (Parenthood) as "April O'Neil," Hoon Lee (Royal Pains) as "Master Splinter" and Kevin Michael Richardson (Penguins of Madagascar ) as "Shredder." The half-hour weekly series is layered with action, fantasy and comedy and draws inspiration from both American and Japanese animation, showcasing a stylistic effect of a printed comic. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will air regularly on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT).

"With its heart, humor and larger-than-life adventures, our new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series builds on the legacy of these great characters and moves their story forward for a whole new generation of fans," said Brown Johnson, President, Animation, Nickelodeon. "Every episode features non-stop action and fun from the first frame to the last, and the gorgeous CG-animation offers a whole new way to experience the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is set in present day New York City, from the glittering towers of Manhattan to the dark depths of the sewers, and follows the adventures of four humanoid turtles and a six-foot-tall rat, Master Splinter. One day, while living a life in seclusion with his four pet turtles, the once human, Splinter, encountered a mysterious green ooze that covered him and his pets. Overcome by the mutagen, he was transformed into a rat and his four pets became humanoid turtles. Fearing persecution from humans, he brought the Turtles underground and raised them, training them to become ninjas. Years have passed since that point and the four turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, are now headstrong teenagers, filled with the confidence of youth and a burning desire to see the world.

In the one-hour premiere, Master Splinter allows his teenaged sons to visit the surface for the first time, with strict instructions to remain unseen. But when they spy a group of thugs attempting to kidnap a teenage girl (April O'Neil) and her father, the Turtles must leap into action. They soon discover that the surface world isn't as simple as it first appears, as they find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy involving alien creatures, robotic droids, missing scientists and come face-to-face with the same glowing green mutagen that mutated them in the first place.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is based on four mutant turtles—Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo—trained in the art of ninjutsu by their mutant rat sensei, Master Splinter, who teaches the turtles to battle evil from the New York City sewers. The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series will be funnier and "ninja-ier" than ever before. The action comedy explores the camaraderie of four teenage brothers learning to rely on one another as they unravel the mystery of their existence and train to become the heroes they're destined to be. The heroes in a half shell will confront the wondrous and hostile world of New York City, facing enemies more dangerous and pizza more delicious than anything they could have imagined. The executive producers for the series are Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin & Jeff Ventimilia and Peter Hastings. The series will premiere globally across Nickelodeon's channels around the world starting on September 29 th.

Considered one of the most popular kids' television programs of the 1980s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. 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 four blockbuster theatrical releases. The property also has translated into a significant consumer products business—with DVDs, video games, toys and more--that has generated billions of dollars at retail.