Once believed to be a theatrical release, the Fred movie will instead premiere on Nickelodeon. Here’s the full announcement:

“Fred” (a.k.a. “Fred Figglehorn”), one of the most popular internet characters of all time, will land on Nickelodeon in his first-ever feature film, Fred: The Movie, it was announced today at Nickelodeon’s Los Angeles upfront presentation by Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTV Networks’ Kids & Family Group. Similar to real-life teenager Lucas Cruikshank’s fast-talking, hyperactive YouTube videos that have received upwards of 500 million views, the film will center on Fred’s latest adventure in trying to win over his unrequited love, Judy. Fred: The Movie is produced by Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett of Varsity Pictures and Gary Binkow and Evan Weiss of The Collective. Fred: The Movie is set to premiere later this year.

“Fred is a mega-star with our audience, and when Lucas’s guest appearance on iCarly’s ‘iMeet Fred’ last year drew such big numbers, we knew Nickelodeon was the perfect home for his first-ever movie,” said Zarghami. “We look forward to making this premiere a huge television event for kids.”

“The popularity and reach of Fred is undeniable, and his internet success shows that audiences are always hungry for new and innovative entertainment,” commented Robbins. “This movie is a great new dimension to Lucas’s amazing character, and we’re thrilled that Nickelodeon is helping us make Fred’s feature film debut.”

“Our goal has been to bring Fred to both his loyal web fans and a wider film and television audience,” said fellow producer Evan Weiss. “Because of the unpredictable nature of the internet, we have moved quickly to capture the magic of Lucas’ creation as a feature, and we’re confident that Nickelodeon is the perfect platform to introduce this expanded cinematic rendering of the world of Fred.”

Fred: The Movie, starring Cruikshank in the title role and featuring iCarly’s Jennette McCurdy as Bertha, WWE’s John Cena as Fred’s dad and Siobhan Fallon as his mom, follows Fred after he discovers his long-time crush, Judy, played by British teen sensation Pixie Lott in her feature film debut, has moved away. Fred embarks on a journey to find her, and when he does, he’s devastated that he hasn’t been invited to her party. This blow fuels a grand scheme that ultimately makes Fred cooler than his classmates could ever imagine and he may even get the girl. The movie is directed by Clay Weiner and written by David A. Goodman (Family Guy).

Lukas Cruikshank first introduced Fred to YouTube audiences in 2008, and the Fred Channel soon became the fastest-growing channel in YouTube history. Each short follows Fred as he deals with his crush Judy, his nemesis Kevin, and his inept mother. While he may be socially awkward and emotionally immature, Fred’s wild imagination and irrational approach to situations make him both hilarious and endearing to his audience. Lucas Cruikshank made his TV debut as Fred Figglehorn in the hit series iCarly in 2009. The episode, “iMeet Fred,” drew 5.1 million total viewers (P2+) and averaged 10.0/2.1 million Kids 6-11, a 9.6/2.1 million Tweens 9-14, and 8.1/2.8 million Kids 2-11.