First deal for new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toon

Viacom has inked the first presale for its new version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Spanish public broadcaster TVE has acquired the rights to the upcoming show. The broadcaster will air it on its digital terrestrial channel Clan from May next year.

The CGI series, about four turtles trained as martial arts experts, will debut on Nickelodeon in the US this autumn. Viacom International Media Networks will launch the show internationally at MIPCOM later this year.

“The signing of such a significant deal prior to the show’s official launch is indicative of the high level of interest we’ve seen for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from international clients, and is testament to the incredible strength of the brand,” said Caroline Beaton, senior VP, international programme sales at VIMN. “A property like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is every industry executive’s dream – it’s a hugely popular global franchise featuring iconic characters, which comes with an outstanding track record that our clients know they can trust to deliver strong ratings.”

VIMN added that there are several other presales in the offing.

Viacom’s Nickelodeon bought Turtles from creators The Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment in 2009 for US$60 million.

The deal gave Nick global TV, film, merchandising and videogame rights to the property, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009.

Alongside the new series, there will be a new Paramount-produced Michael Bay movie. A toy and deal with Playmates Toys is in place, with the first products rolling out next spring.