Nickelodeon Adds Baby Shark Series, SpongeBob Spin-Off to Lineup

Nickelodeon has revealed a new original animated series based on the breakout YouTube hit Baby Shark, as well as a new SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off.

Nickelodeon is working with SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the beloved children’s brand Pinkfong, to develop a new original animated series based on Baby Shark for global distribution, while Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) will be managing consumer products licensing worldwide, excluding Asia, for the property.

Baby Shark became a sensation when it launched on YouTube in November 2015. With music, characters, story and dance all combined together, Baby Shark has amassed 2.9 billion YouTube views, becoming the ninth most watched video in the platform’s history. The song recorded a 20-week streak on the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned a viral phenomenon, #BabySharkChallenge, generating over 700,000 cover videos around the globe.

Nickelodeon has also recently greenlit the tentatively titled Kamp Koral, a spin-off of the iconic SpongeBob SquarePants series that will introduce the 10-year-old SpongeBob during his summer at sleepaway camp with his pals. It is slated to begin production in June.

Ramsey Naito, executive VP of animation production and development at Nickelodeon, said: “SpongeBob has an incredible universe to expand upon, and the green light for Kamp Koral is a testament to the strength and longevity of these characters known and loved by generations of fans around the world.”

In addition to the new programs, Nickelodeon has renewed four of its popular preschool series: PAW Patrol (season seven), Bubble Guppies (season five), Abby Hatcher (season two) and Butterbean’s Café (season two).