TCA '09: Nickelodeon Brings ‘Madagascar’ Penguins to Small Screen
Network Also Has Big Plans for 'SpongeBob’s' 10th Anniversary
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 1/9/2009 5:55:00 AM
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Los Angeles—The penguins from the DreamWorks Animation SKG franchise Madagascar are the first to break out as stars of their own series, the first product of a production deal between Nickelodeon and the animation shop.
Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami said the channel has already doubled its order to 52 episodes. The series The Penguins of Madagascar, will debut after Nick's Kids Choice Awards franchise, to be hosted by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, on March 28 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG, said this is one of the first output deals for his company where a second season has been ordered before the first has even aired. Zarghami cited the "unprecedented level of quality," comparable to the theatrical version, for the channel's enthusiasm for the show.
The partners also said they have another series in development based on another DreamWorks title, Kung Fu Panda, featuring the panda, Po.
Nick "sneaked" a look as parts of the new series over the Thanksgiving weekend and the content drew an average of 14 million viewers.
The Penguins of Madagascar features the penguins living in the Central Park Zoo. The quartet is Kowalski, Rico, Private and their leader, Skipper. The latter is voiced by Tom McGrath, creative consultant to the series and the director of the theatrical film. McGrath said the voice is a "poor man's Robert Stack," adding after that actor died, McGrath started a whole new career as a voice-over artist.
The producers said other Madagascar characters could show up in the series, specifically mentioning the hippo (voiced in the film by Jada Pinkett Smith). Julien, the king of the lemurs, is in the series but not voiced by Sascha Baron Cohen.
Nick officials also noted this year is the 10th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, which will be the center of several special programs, including 20 new episodes and a special in April featuring a character, surfer Big Kahuna Laguna, voiced by Johnny Depp.
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