The 2D animated series will be called Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and is scheduled to air in Fall 2018. The current 3D series will continue for one final season beginning on March 19. The reboot will take the series in a different direction, with “more humor, a younger and lighter feel and all-new dimensions to explore,” Cyma Zarghami, president of Nickelodeon Group said at an upfront presentation in New York.
Suriano was character designer for the Samurai Jack animated series, as well as working as a character layout artist on Star Wars: Clone Wars. He has also illustrated the Samurai Jack comic series (see “IDW's New 'Samurai Jack'”) and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Ward was producer on the most recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series (see “'TMNT' Logs 12 Million Viewers”) and The Penguins of Madagascar animated series.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a potent franchise, listed as the #5 entertainment/character licenses franchise for 2015 (see “Top Geek, Superhero Licenses”). There are multiple IDW comics, a board game (see “IDW Games Unveils 'TMNT' Board Game Details”), collectible games (see “'TMNT HeroClix: Shredder's Return'”), movies (see “New 'TMNT 2' Spot”) and toys (see “Preview: Diamond Select Toys - Part 1”).
