4Kids Secures Deals for New Ninja Turtles Series

NEW YORK, August 20: 4Kids Entertainment has completed deals
with several broadcasters, including CITV, for a new series based on the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, which
celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2009.

TMNT: Back to the Sewer
will be launched at MIPCOM. CITV in the U.K. has acquired 13 half-hour episodes
and will premiere the series in the first quarter of 2009. Additionally, 4Kids
has secured broadcast deals with Alter in Greece, DRTV in Denmark, MTV3 in
Finland, Children's Channel via UCOI in Israel, Indosiar in Indonesia and RTE
in Ireland.

The new series sees the Ninja Turtles back in present-day
New York City. They are shocked to find that Master Splinter didn’t make it
back with them in one piece. Instead, he was digitally decompiled into hundreds
of data bits, which were scattered through cyberspace. The Turtles must now
save him.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premiered in May 1984 as a comic book published and
distributed by Mirage Studios. A TV series followed, along with three
theatrical films.

Brian Lacey, the executive VP of international business for
4Kids, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our TMNT relationship with CITV, particularly as we build
toward the 25th anniversary of the Turtles. TMNT has been a strong performer on CITV, and we’re
confident that kids will be thrilled with their newest series of adventures.”

—By Jackie Stewart