Nickelodeon, Netflix team for original animated features, TV series

Nickelodeon and Netflix have entered a multiple year out put deal that will create and produce original animated feature films and TV series.

The deal announced Wednesday expands Nickelodeon's relationship with Netflix, which was revived a few years ago with deals for a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series and deals for Rocko's Modern Life, Invader Zim, The Loud House and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, among others.

"Nickelodeon has generated scores of characters that kids love, and we look forward to telling wholly original stories that re-imagine and expand on the worlds they inhabit," said Netflix vp original animation Melissa Cobb. "We're thrilled to continue collaborating with Brian Robbins, Ramsey Naito, and the creative team at Nickelodeon in new ways as we look to find fresh voices and bring bold stories to our global audience on Netflix."

"Nickelodeon's next step forward is to keep expanding beyond linear platforms, and our broader content partnership with Netflix is a key path toward that goal," Nickelodeon president Robbins said. "The Nickelodeon Animation Studio is home to the world-class artists and storytellers behind some of the most iconic characters and shows ever made, and our head of animation, Ramsey Naito, has been building on that legacy over the past year by ramping up development and production exponentially.

Netflix launched its own in-house animation studio last year as the appetite for both adult animation and kids-focused content continues to rise amid the streaming revolution. Animated shows are cheaper to produce and often wind up seeing secondary revenue streams from merchandising sales.

The Nickelodeon-produced films and TV series join a Netflix animated slate that includes feature Klaus (due Nov. 15), kids animated series Dino Girl Gauko (Nov. 22), adult animated film I Lost My Body (Nov. 29) and DreamWorks' Fast & Furious Spy Racers (Dec. 26), among others.