Variety is reporting that Viacom has entered into an agreement to acquire Paws, Inc., the rights holder of Jim Davis’ classic comic strip character Garfield, with plans to launch a new animated series on Nickelodeon.
“I’m delighted that Garfield is going to be placed in the capable hands of the folks at Nick,” said Davis, who created the lasagne-loving, Monday-hating feline back in the mid-1970s. “They know how to entertain and will be great stewards for the franchise. I am also excited to continue to do the thing that gets me out of bed every morning…the comic strip!”
“Garfield is a global evergreen franchise that is a natural fit with Nickelodeon and our portfolio of iconic properties,” said Pam Kaufman of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. With fans around the globe that span both kids and adults, we are excited to ignite Garfield into a multi-generational consumer products juggernaut.”
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A new CG-animated Garfield movie has been in development at Alcon Entertainment for several years now, with Mark Dindal (Chicken Little) signing on to direct back in November 2018. It remains to be seen if and how this project will be affected by the Viacom acquisition.
Originally published August 9, 2019. Updated August 8, 2019.
