Nick Readies Kung Fu Panda Series

NEW YORK: After successfully teaming with DreamWorks Television for a TV series based on the Madagascar animated film franchise, Nickelodeon has ordered 26 episodes of Kung Fu Panda: The Series.

Nickelodeon and DreamWorks first teamed for the co-production The Penguins of Madagascar, which launched at the end of March as the most-watched series premiere in the network’s history, drawing 6.1 total million viewers. Since then, The Penguins of Madagascar has already become a top program, averaging nearly 13 million kids 2-11 each week and also averaging nearly 28 million total viewers every week. The series is currently the number two program (live action or animated), only behind SpongeBob SquarePants, with kids 2-11 and 6-11.

"Our seamless collaboration with DreamWorks Animation has now reached an anticipated 78 half-hours of unparalleled television CG animation," said Brown Johnson, the president of animation at Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids & Family Group. "With the pick-up of Kung Fu Panda: The Series, we are thrilled to be bringing to our audience the rich stories and energy-packed character and action sequences Po the panda delivered on the big screen."

Kung Fu Panda grossed more than $630 million at the worldwide box office and became DreamWorks Animation’s most successful original feature film ever. The series will chronicle the further adventures of Po, the energetic, enthusiastic, always hungry martial arts panda. He is aided by his mentor Shifu and the Furious Five: Tigress, Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper.