Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles And Naruto Collaborating In New Comic Book Line

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The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book line is having a banner year in 2024. Not only is IDW kicking off a star-studded relaunch of the monthly TMNT series and continuing the Last Ronin saga, now they're gearing up for a crossover with one of the biggest anime and manga properties on the planet. That's right, the heroes of TMNT and Naruto are joining forces.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is a joint effort between IDW Publishing and Viz Media. This four-issue series is written by Caleb Goellner (Sonic the Hedgehog) and illustrated by Hendry Prasetya (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), with colors by Raúl Angulo (NYX) and letters by Ed Dukeshire (The Woods). Jorge Jiménez (Batman) and Prasetya provided cover art for issue #1.

Here's IDW's official description for issue #1:

It’s the coolest ninja matchup you could have ever dreamed of, had you dared! The Heroes in a Half-Shell meet the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox in the crossover everyone will be talking about.

When teenage reporter April O’Neil has a clandestine meeting with Tsunade, the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, it garners the attention of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. They aren’t the only ones who are wondering what the two women were discussing, though. The sinister Foot Clan have their own interest in April’s visit, as they think she might hold the valuable information on mutation research being conducted by the scientist Baxter Stockman. With April caught between the forces of the Hidden Leaf Village and the Foot Clan, it can’t be long before the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show up to lend her a hand!

Working with acclaimed manga publisher Viz Entertainment, IDW is pulling together two of the most popular comics in the world to bring you the four-issue comic book event of 2024!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #1 will be released on November 13, 2024.

Maxwell Atoms On When Cartoon Network Originally Died: "We Also Had To Cut Ourselves...Which Is When CN Died"

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Cartoon Network is an international children's channel operated by Warner Bros. Discovery alongside TNT and Cartoonito. It is home to shows like Adventure Time, Tiny Toons Looniversity, Craig Of The Creek and Dexter's Laboratory.

As some readers know, one of the channel's remaining primetime shows Jellystone will be having a crossover special. Similar to Teen Titans GO! WB100 special, it would feature a variety of animated characters that had already been viewed on Cartoon Network. 

A fan had asked Maxwell Atoms (creator of The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy) if all animated characters would appear on the show and his response was mentioned below in bold:

We put as much as we could. More than a recommended doctor. But we only used shows made at CN Studios (not Teen Titans GO!). I believe Mixels was an acquisition. We also had to cut ourselves around 2008, which is when CN originally died.

Taking to account that shows like Steven Universe, Adventure Time and Chowder were all conceived after that timeline of Cartoon Network. Atoms views on the network had somewhat got a lot of mixed reactions from former and current viewers.

Even after 2008, Cartoon Network continued having a lot of great shows from what we can gather with Atoms views. That timeline coincides with when he and Genndy Tartakovsky had exited the network as there was a lot of corporate changes behind the scenes.

But even then like I said Cartoon Network was still a go to channel for children and animation lovers alike. If we had to guess when Atoms views materialized on the network it was no less than the 2010s era with the latest residing by 2015/6.

At this time, Cartoon Network was building a wall between shows like Ben 10: Omniverse and Steven Universe as these were their more action-ie shows. With the current slate being dominant around comedic styles with Teen Titans GO! and Uncle Grandpa. 

Following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Cartoon Network has never recovered from the after effects. At the moment, there's only 4 originals with 1 imported from Europe, 2 produced by Warner Bros. Animation and the last being an actual original.

It is believed that this merger had since scared potential animators from associating themselves with the network as they try to navigate the current landscape. 

Additional Afrikaans Voice Actors For Annekan Die Swa Kry, Doodsondes, Chrysalis, Die Put And Elif

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Ayden Cory as Tolga

Pierre Nelson as Ahmet

Amalia Uys as Sevval

Jacques Theron as Burak

Nell Van Der Merwe as Suzan

Wanda Banda as Yasmin

Joce Engelbrecht as Gönül

Marina Botha as Ayla

Tanja Franzsen as Nebahat

Kira Joy Huizies as Layla

Meggan Lee Johnstone as Afra Yildiz

Caleb Felix as Omer

Susanne Beyers as Handan

Hendri Mouton as Sedai

Richard Van Der Westhuizen as Çetin

Juandre Kim Anderson as Kumru Yildirim

Morne Esben as Çağatay

Willie Fritz as Docan

Electra Hartman as Feyza Üstündag

Conradie Van Heerden as Omer

Meggan-Johnston as Canan

Cedwyn Joel as Cavt

Pierre Nelson as Alp

Joce Engelbrecht as Seren

Mario Haupt as Arik

Margo Kotze as Layla

Miche Van Wyk as Burcu

Clarissa Saaiman as Asli

Marunzo Thomas as Mahir

Marissa Claasen as Rana

Margo Kotze as Filiz

Susanne Beyers as Kiymet

This was originally published on Die Afrikaans Voice Actors.Pagie

NBA Signs New 11-Year Media Agreements With The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal And Amazon Prime Video

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast NBA games beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 season.

The NBA App will be a universal access point – seamlessly directing fans to every national game on Disney, NBCU and Amazon platforms.

The new media deals will expand the reach of NBA telecasts, with all national games available on broadly distributed streaming services – Prime Video, Peacock and ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service – and with dramatically increased exposure on broadcast television.  Approximately 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.  “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”

“We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world,” said Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation.  “We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”

“We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world,” said Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.  “We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”

Disney, NBCU and Amazon also secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in the reach of WNBA games across broadcast, cable and streaming.  Full details regarding the WNBA’s media agreements will be issued in a separate press release.

The Walt Disney Company

Disney (ABC/ESPN) will distribute a total of 80 NBA regular-season games per season, including more than 20 games on ABC (generally on Saturday nights with NBA Saturday Primetime and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase) and up to 60 games on ESPN (generally on Wednesday nights and, on occasion, Friday nights).  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast all five NBA games on Christmas Day and provide exclusive national coverage of the final day of the regular season.

During the playoffs, ABC/ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year and one of the two Conference Finals series in 10 of the 11 years of the agreement.  ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003.

All NBA games and events on ABC/ESPN will be available on ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service.  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA Draft, NBA Draft Lottery and half of all NBA Summer League games.  ABC/ESPN platforms will also continue to distribute a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

Disney will distribute NBA games on ESPN-branded assets in several international markets, including Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and the Netherlands, and via Disney+ in select markets in Asia and Europe.

By the end of this renewal, the NBA’s partnership with ABC/ESPN will reach 34 years.

NBCUniversal

NBCU (NBC/Peacock) will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season games per season – with more than half of the games airing on NBC (on Sunday and Tuesday nights).  NBCU will telecast the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on MLK Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season.

Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season.  Every Tuesday night, NBC will telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the country.  The first game will start at 8 p.m. ET and be available on NBC across affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones.  The second game will start at 8 p.m. PT and be available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones.  All Tuesday games will be available on Peacock nationally and certain stations may choose to televise both games.

NBC will become the home of NBA All-Star, including Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, featuring AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge, and the All-Star Game.  In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, with at least half of those games airing on NBC.  NBC will also telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

As part of the partnership, NBCU will distribute NBA games in several European markets through Sky Sports as well as in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Additionally, NBCU will distribute WNBA games and be the home of all USA Basketball Senior Men’s and Women’s National Team games.

Xfinity will become the Official TV Service of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball.  The partnership includes collaboration on marketing and storytelling opportunities, virtual signage during game telecasts and activations at marquee NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball events.

Amazon

Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each season, including Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games, at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and the Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup.  In addition, Prime Video will stream the Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games.  In the playoffs, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second rounds each year.  Additionally, Prime Video will stream one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBCU, beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.

Amazon will distribute NBA games globally as part of Prime Video, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.  This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.  Prime Video will also become the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass – the league’s live NBA game subscription service, with expanded distribution rights for NBA League Pass in the U.S. and internationally.   Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prime Video will stream half of all NBA Summer League games as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

PSL Partners With Betway To Launch The Betway Premiership

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The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is proud to announce Betway, South Africa’s leading online sports and gaming brand, as the premier division’s new title sponsor.

The premier division of football will now be known as the Betway Premiership.

Chairman of the Premier Soccer League, Dr Irvin Khoza welcomed the new deal as a major boost to the sport: “This is a massive boost for every lover of football in this country. Our partnership with Betway confirms our league’s standing as one of the best in the world and heralds a wonderful future for our game. Betway’s energy and enthusiasm will have immediate impact across all facets of the game, and on behalf of the PSL, I am proud to welcome them on board as title sponsor and partner.”

Laurence Michel, Betway Africa, believes that the deal marks the beginning of a new era for the premier division, adding that Betway looks forward to help in writing a new chapter in the PSL’s rich soccer history.

“Football is a fundamental part of South African life. It really is in our blood and has been for generations. We are incredibly proud to be the title partner of the Betway Premiership. It further demonstrates not only our respect of the history of the league, but our vision for the development for its future. The PSL aligns with our values as a brand that commonly champions great South African success stories,” Michel said

Formally established in 1996, but with roots that go back nearly a century, the Premier Soccer League is indisputably the most popular sporting competition in South Africa, with legendary characters, dearly-loved clubs and rivalries that capture the essence of football and culture in this country.

Michel explained that the Betway Premiership will lean heavily on the legacy and rich history of a football league already entrenched as one of the top ten domestic league competitions in the world and is excited by what the future holds for football in South Africa.

“We appreciate how much football has done for people and for our country. As we begin this partnership, we want to acknowledge and celebrate what the game has accomplished in the past. We also want to enhance the game as it stands today and, most importantly, we want to help build an even better future for the next generation of footballing stars from this country,”

Michel added, “We are so excited by what this partnership will do for football fans in South Africa. As a brand, we are known globally for our sponsorships of the world’s biggest clubs and tournaments and that experience is going to play a huge part in driving the PSL forward.”

This partnership further reaffirms the brand’s commitment to the South African sporting industry. It is the latest addition to an enviable sporting partnership portfolio, which spans across a number of sports, which also includes the world champion Springboks, as well as the Betway SA20.

Warner Bros. Discovery's Plan To Split Up Studios From Cartoon Network And HBO Could Come With Everlasting Effects

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Warner Bros. Discovery after accumulating so much debt even after the formation of Discovery and WarnerMedia is exploring a separation of assets. This would see Warner Bros. Studios operating independently away from linear brands like Cartoon Network and HBO.

With that huge debt, no company can afford it to absorb it unless some cost cutting measures were implemented in an attempt to reduce that debt. The only other option in mind at this point would be splitting up as seen prior or selling assets separately. 

Separating Cartoon Network from Warner Bros. Studios could come with various risks like if there's no funding coming from Warner Bros. Discovery how will it survive. Even if the idea were to sell, Cartoon Network could become more like The CW and TBS.

It could lose credibility and give brands like Nickelodeon and Disney Channel more of an advantage. Maybe, it's possible that the channel could survive the purge and build similar positioning to DreamWorks and Moonbug which serves as promotional. 

Cartoon Network unveiled several new projects at Annecy like Foster's Funtime For Imaginary Friends, an untitled Regular Show series and Scooby-Doo! Go Go Mystery Machine. These are likely projects they want to distribute on other platforms.

Max had join the likes of SABC+ and BBC iPlayer platforms with little to no original content as they shift focus on archived material. Those titles are likely being shipped from platform to platform.

The splitting of Warner Bros. Discovery also guarantees job losses and the possibility of cord cutting. If two people were managing TNT and TBS separately they could let go of one and also seek to merge TNT and TBS alongside its programming. 

Warner Bros. Discovery was operating independently in other countries with Warner TV and Cartoon Network continuing to add new content. There's no guarantee that the services in those markets will stay afloat especially if the lot depend on its studios for survival. 

The PFL Partners With SuperSport To Broadcast Live MMA Action In English Speaking Countries Across Sub-Saharan Africa

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The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league, on Wednesday announced a media rights deal with SuperSport, for all PFL and Bellator programming to air across SuperSport channels.

The partnership kicked off in thrilling fashion as fans in the region were able tune into the opening event of the 2024 PFL Europe Season on March 7 when global superstar Cedric ‘The Best’ Doumbe took on Baissangour ‘Baki’ Chamsoudinov at the Accor Arena in Paris.

Through the partnership, all PFL programming - including live coverage of PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Europe and newly announced PFL MENA - will be available on SuperSport, Africa's premier sports broadcaster.

The promotion is set to launch its third international league - PFL Africa - in 2025.

Through its exclusive global strategic partnership with Francis Ngannou, the world’s greatest combat sports athlete today and the baddest man on the planet, the linear heavyweight champion will be an equity owner in and Chairman of PFL Africa, the region’s premier MMA league.

Events will be staged in key countries across the continent live in primetime to meet the major demand for premium and consistent MMA content. More details will be announced later this year.

“Sub-Saharan Africa represents a priority market for the Professional Fighters League as we continue our rapid global expansion,” said PFL SVP, International James Frewin. “We’re thrilled to partner with SuperSport so viewers across the region can watch premium PFL and Bellator MMA content all year-round on SuperSport.”

PFL is the only organisation in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year.

The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30 per cent of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same per centage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development.

PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience.

PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the US and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

Kyle Carrozza, Creator Of Mighty Magiswords On Cartoon Network Arrested For Possession Of Child Pornography

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Kyle Adam Carrozza, creator of the Cartoon Network series Mighty Magiswords, was booked last month by the Burbank Police Department on two counts of child pornography possession.

Carrozza, 45, was arrested at an apartment complex in Burbank, California, on the morning of Thursday, June 20, at 7:30 am. The arrest was part of an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation. The arrest was reported in the Burbank Police Department’s daily arrest log.

Carrozza’s Mighty Magiswords debuted on Cartoon Network’s CN Anything app as a 15-second micro-series in 2015. The show was “custom created for the way young audiences consume media today,” Rob Sorcher, then-chief content officer for Cartoon Network, said in 2016. “This is about how stories can be told in new ways and how a community can play together.”

Nearly 400 pieces of platform-specific content were created around Carrozza’s show, including shorts, vlogs, web/mobile games, and interactive narrative content. Then, in 2016, Cartoon Network turned the project into a linear tv series, which lasted for two seasons and over 90 episodes.

According to Carrozza’s Linkedin page, he had most recently been a board artist on Nickelodeon’s The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish and The Casagrandes Movie. His other credits include storyboarding on Warner Bros. Animation’s Animaniacs reboot, Apple TV+’s The Snoopy Show, Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, Disney’s Fish Hooks, Frederator’s Bravest Warriors, and Nickelodeon’s Fanboy & Chum Chum, as well as doing character layout on Paramount’s Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge Out of Water. He also created the short MooBeard the Cow Pirate for Nickelodeon’s Random! Cartoons.

Carrozza has been charged under California penal code 311.11(a), which is possession of child pornography, and an enhanced 311.11(c) charge, which is for individuals knowingly in possession of at least 12 videos, or 600 images, of child pornography.

The offenses can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony and are punishable by up to one year in county jail or up to five years in state prison. If found guilty of either charge, Carrozza will be ordered to register as a sex offender with law enforcement. The crimes he is accused of do not apply to drawings, figurines, statues, or films rated by the Motion Picture Association.

The story was originally published on Cartoonbrew.

Possibly Cancelled. Still No Update Of A Unicorn: Warriors Eternal Season 2 On Adult Swim

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Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is an American adult animated fantasy television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and aired on Cartoon Network's night-time programming block Adult Swim. The series stars the voices of Hazel Doupe, Demari Hunte, and Tom Milligan. 

Tartakovsky originally conceived Unicorn: Warriors Eternal in his early days at Cartoon Network Studios. The series took almost 20 years to get made, with Tartakovsky pitching it to various studios before it was picked up by Cartoon Network and HBO Max.

The series premiered on Adult Swim from May 5, 2023 and concluded on June 30, 2023 literally a year ago with only 10 episodes. Although a second has yet to be commissioned by the network, Tartakovsky has expressed interest in doing multiple seasons.

Why Unicorn: Warriors Eternal may not be returning with a season 2?

No one at Cartoon Network, Adult Swim or Warner Bros. Animation not even Genndy Tartakovsky has talked about the show. As for the creator, he's currently working on Heist Safari and a third season to Primal for the mentioned brands.

If anything, it's possible that with Warner Bros. Discovery being cash constraint that they rather put their focus on lesser projects. Even with Tartakovsky already working on these projects it's possible he may not be able to pencil in Unicorn: Warriors Eternals.

Another theory that comes to mind is the possibility of it being a miniseries I mean that's happened with Infinity Train but surprisingly got additional seasons. Both of which had their first seasons end with a question mark with one that was eventually renewed.

Even My Adventures With Superman which was originally commissioned by Cartoon Network before moving to Adult Swim. Unlike Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, Superman got a 2 season renewal but with that concluding soon was renewed for a season 3.