Viacom Rattles 'Rugrats' Revamp

Viacom has announced plans to relaunch the ’90s animated TV series “Rugrats” with a new program on Nickelodeon and a film from Paramount Pictures.

A total of 26 “Rugrats” episodes were green-lit by Nickelodeon, who are currently in series development.

Paramount Pictures and Paramount Players, the division of Paramount Pictures that develops and produces co-branded feature films with Viacom’s networks, is working on a live-action film featuring CGI characters, scheduled to premiere in November 2020.

“‘Rugrats’ is hands-down one of the most celebrated cartoons in TV history, and we are thrilled for a whole new audience to meet these iconic characters in brand-new adventures,” says Sarah Levy, chief operating officer, Viacom Media Networks and interim president, Nickelodeon. “What was true in 1991 when the original show premiered is still true today: Kids are fascinated with the world of babies. We can’t wait for today’s kids to meet Tommy, Chuckie and pals.”

“Rugrats” is the latest classic original Nickelodeon series to score a reboot. The network introduced a new “Hey! Arnold” special in 2017 and has announced the return of “Invader Zim“ and “Rocko’s Modern Life.”

“Now feels like the ideal time to reintroduce this iconic cast of characters to a whole new generation of young fans,” said Brian Robbins, president, Paramount Players. “Kids who grew up with Tommy Pickles and the Rugrats crew will now be able to share that experience with their own children.”