| Jimmy Neutron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | John A. Davis |
| Original work | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) |
| Owner | Nickelodeon |
| Years | 1998–present[1] |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) |
| Television series |
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| Television special(s) | The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour (2004–2006) |
| Television film(s) | Operation: Rescue Jet Fusion |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Theme park attraction(s) | Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast (2003–2011) |
Jimmy Neutron is aNickelodeon-owned and computer-animated media franchise created byJohn A. Davis in the 1980s and commenced in 1998 with the pilotRunaway Rocketboy. The franchise focuses onits titular protagonist (voiced byDebi Derryberry), a young boy with a genius-level intellect.
After the pilot was completed, Nickelodeon executives, who were impressed by the pilot and still enthusiastic about the show's potential, raised the prospect of creating a theatrical film to accompany the TV series, much to the surprise of Davis and his team at the studio. During the initial pitch to Nickelodeon, Oedekerk had highlighted the idea that using computer animation would allow the same models and assets to be reused between both a film and a TV show, an idea which Nick held a strong faith in.[2] Davis further suggested that the feature film be created first, since the characters being modeled could be created at a higher quality than they would have with a TV budget. Although Nick was worried that it would be more difficult to attract a movie-going audience without the TV show to build an install base for the series, these concerns were answered with a series of short TV interstitials which would begin airing in order to build up hype for the upcoming film.[2][3] The film was a box office and critical success and was nominated for the firstAcademy Award for Best Animated Feature at the74th Academy Awards along withPixar'sMonsters, Inc. but lost toDreamWorks Animation’sShrek.[4]
In February 2002, a sequel was reported in development for a summer 2004 release. Producer Albie Hecht reported to theLos Angeles Times that the sequel "would be made on the same budget as the first, but with a new batch of inventions and adventures in Jimmy's town of Retroville."[5] On June 20, 2002,The Hollywood Reporter reported that writerKate Boutilier had signed a writing deal withNickelodeon Movies andParamount Pictures to write a sequel to the film, but the sequel never materialized.[6] The film was cancelled because the writers could not agree on a story and Alcorn later stated in an interview that "once the TV series came out, there wasn't a lot of incentive to make a movie when fans could simply watchJimmy Neutron for free at home."[7]
In 2016, director John A. Davis stated that he has a story for aJimmy Neutron reboot feature that he would like to make, but he is waiting for the "right situation" to make it.[8]
When asked about a reboot in 2020,Rob Paulsen stated "Well, I've got to tell you, man. I go all over the world when we don't have thecoronavirus, and people love Carl. They love Carl. I don't think it would be a bad thing at all to rebootJimmy Neutron. I think that's one of those shows that a lot of people would love to see again. It was very good. Really smart. That wouldn't surprise me."[9]
In 2025, screenwriter Adam Pava unveiled that a potential new film project based on the character was in the works since December 2023.[10]
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (the first series): Throughout the show, various mishaps and conflicts occur on these adventures, as Jimmy's various inventions go awry. The series was well-received.[11]DNA Productions retooled their pipeline when moving from the film to the TV series, to reuse assets for the episodes. Some of the programming team at the studio programmed a special code that allowed the animators to animate scenes inMaya, which can then be rendered inLightwave. This helped the team keep up with the deadline and avoid going over budget.[12]
Planet Sheen (the second series) was a spin-off focusing on Sheen. Originally designed as a series calledRed Acres, it was unrelated toJimmy Neutron, but after multiple network rejections, includingCartoon Network andDisney Channel, the series was re-developed to what would becomePlanet Sheen. The series was not well received by fans, but critics had mixed reviews.[13]
The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour is a trilogy of television crossover specials set between the universes of the animated television seriesThe Fairly OddParents andThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. The saga consists ofThe Jimmy Timmy Power Hour,The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2: When Nerds Collide, andThe Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 3: The Jerkinators, which premiered on Nickelodeon between 2004 and 2006, and were subsequently released to home video.[14][15] The specials combine multiple types of animation, usingtraditional 2D animation for the segments set in theFairly OddParents universe andCGI for theJimmy Neutron segments.
Jakks Pacific and Mattel produced toys based on the property.[16]
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