Jim Davis’ famously lazy, hungry cat is coming to Nickelodeon. Image : Nickelodeon

One of the most famous cartoon cats of all time is coming back to charm a whole new generation.


Nickelodeon just made a deal to acquire the rights to Garfield with an eye on bringing the iconic Jim Davis comic strip back to television. The cable channel will also now control merchandise and “location-based experiences,” which could mean anything from pop-ups to theme parks.

“This acquisition marks another step in our evolution toward being kids’ first stop for the best new content and characters, so we’re incredibly happy to have Garfield join our growing roster of globally loved franchises and to introduce this cool cat to a new generation of fans,” Nickelodeon president Brian Robbins said in a press release.


Besides a new animated series, toys , and everything else, Davis will continue to produce the long-running comic strip and seems quite excited about the deal too.

“I’ve always tried to make people laugh with humor that is classic and appealing to both kids and adults. I’m delighted that Garfield is going to be placed in the capable hands of the folks at Nick,” Davis said. “They know how to entertain and will be great stewards for the franchise. I am also excited to continue to do the thing that gets me out of bed every morning…the comic strip!”

No word on what kind of animation style the show will use, who’ll be working on it, or when it might make it to air. We just hope it looks like more like Garfield and Friends from the ‘80s and ‘90s ...


The look of the original Garfield and Friends TV show on CBS. Image : Paws Inc.

...rather than The Garfield Show from several years ago.



The Garfield Show on Cartoon Network. Image : Paws Inc.


Oof.



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