# Nickelodeon Movies
**Nickelodeon Movies** is the film production arm of the children's television channel [Nickelodeon](https://www.edgepedia.org/nickelodeon), founded on February 25, 1995, to develop family-oriented motion pictures, adaptations of Nickelodeon programs, and original films.[1](https://nickelodeon.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) • [2](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/69982) Its films are co-produced and distributed by [Paramount Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount-pictures), and the label's catalog spans animated features based on [Nicktoons](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicktoons) such as *Rugrats* and *SpongeBob SquarePants*, live-action comedies such as *Good Burger* and *Nacho Libre*, and preschool-franchise films such as *PAW Patrol: The Movie*.[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) • [4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/brand/bn3698522626/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 25, 1995, as the film production arm of Nickelodeon[1](https://nickelodeon.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) |
| First release | *Harriet the Spy*, July 10, 1996[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) |
| Highest-grossing theatrical release | *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014), $191,204,754 domestic[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/brand/bn3698522626/) |
| Distribution | Paramount Pictures, after Viacom's purchase of Paramount Communications[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) |
| Corporate form | Nickelodeon Movies Inc., a Delaware-incorporated subsidiary[5](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/80d413d1-3ed9-4dac-b2cd-fe898a388f83) |
## Origins
Before the label existed, Nickelodeon sought a film partner elsewhere. In 1993 the network signed a two-year contract with 20th Century Fox to make feature films, with plans that included movies based on *Doug*, *The Ren & Stimpy Show*, and *Rugrats*; the contract expired in 1995 with no movies produced.[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) • [1](https://nickelodeon.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) By then Nickelodeon's parent company, Viacom, had purchased Paramount Communications, and Paramount Pictures became the studio that would release the films.[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies)
The label's first release was *Harriet the Spy*, a live-action adaptation of the 1964 novel, on July 10, 1996, followed by *Good Burger* (July 25, 1997), a comedy starring [Kenan Thompson](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenan-thompson) and [Kel Mitchell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kel-mitchell) based on an *All That* sketch.[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies)
## The Rugrats breakthrough
On November 20, 1998, the studio released *The Rugrats Movie*, its first animated film based on a Nicktoon. It earned $100,494,675 at the domestic box office and $140,894,675 worldwide, became the first animated film not made by Disney to gross over $100 million in the U.S., and was the studio's first film to receive a G rating from the MPAA. Its success led to two sequels, *[Rugrats in Paris: The Movie](https://www.edgepedia.org/rugrats-in-paris-the-movie)* (2000) and *Rugrats Go Wild* (2003).[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies)
The early 2000s added films based on other Nickelodeon series, including *The Wild Thornberrys Movie* (2002), produced with Klasky-Csupo, and *Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius* (2001).[3](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies) • [4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/brand/bn3698522626/)
## Box office record
[Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo)'s brand ranking for Nickelodeon theatrical releases is led by the live-action *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014) at $191,204,754 domestic, followed by *[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-spongebob-movie-sponge-out-of-water)* (2015) at $162,994,032, *The Last Airbender* (2010) at $131,772,187, *Rango* (2011) at $123,477,607, and *Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events* (2004) at $118,634,549.[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/brand/bn3698522626/) *Sponge Out of Water* opened with an estimated $52 million over its February 2015 debut weekend, unseating *American Sniper* at the top of the U.S. box office.[6](https://time.com/3700096/spongebob-american-sniper/)
Critical reception has not tracked grosses one-for-one. On Rotten Tomatoes' ranking of the studio's films, the top Tomatometer score belongs to *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem* (2023) at 95%, ahead of *Rango* at 88% and *Dora and the Lost City of Gold* (2019) at 85%.[7](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-nickelodeon-movies-ranked/) *Mutant Mayhem* grossed $180.5 million worldwide on a $70 million budget.[8](https://www.theteardown.co/nickelodeon)
## Franchise strategy and the streaming era
Under Nickelodeon chief [Brian Robbins](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-robbins), who became head of Paramount after the first *PAW Patrol* film succeeded in theaters and on [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) simultaneously, the label's output shifted toward franchise expansion.[9](https://apnews.com/article/f70ac42d987e7917cfd2c36781beb580) *PAW Patrol: The Movie* (2021), one of the first films targeted at the preschool audience, grossed $144 million worldwide, and its sequel *PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie* (2023) opened at $23 million domestically.[10](https://time.com/7221756/paw-patrol-tv-merchandising/) • [9](https://apnews.com/article/f70ac42d987e7917cfd2c36781beb580) The PAW Patrol franchise's intellectual property belongs to partner [Spin Master](https://www.edgepedia.org/spin-master), with Paramount handling distribution.[8](https://www.theteardown.co/nickelodeon)
Streaming has become a second outlet for the label's franchises. Paramount+ carries Nickelodeon Movies titles including *PAW Patrol: The Movie* and *The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run*, and in 2021 Nickelodeon announced franchise-expanding films for the service, including a [Baby Shark](https://www.edgepedia.org/baby-shark) feature film co-produced by Nickelodeon Animation and The Pinkfong Company and a theatrical [PAW Patrol](https://www.edgepedia.org/paw-patrol) sequel, a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Animation with distribution by Paramount Pictures.[11](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/paramount-plus/releases/view?id=59162) • [12](https://ir.paramount.com/node/67226/pdf) A sequel to *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem*, produced by [Seth Rogen](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rogen)'s Point Grey Pictures, was slated for October 2026 alongside a bridging Paramount+ series.[13](https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2025/0407/2025040700645.pdf)
## Corporate context
Nickelodeon Movies Inc. is organized as a Delaware subsidiary within the Paramount corporate structure.[5](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/80d413d1-3ed9-4dac-b2cd-fe898a388f83) Paramount's 2019 restructuring announced a commitment between Nickelodeon and Paramount for a slate of four co-branded films, beginning with *Amusement Park* for summer 2018 theatrical release.[14](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/df527513-0861-4c43-81ce-9492f476ac6f) After Paramount's merger with Skydance, Nickelodeon remained part of the combined company's children's and animation portfolio alongside [Cartoon Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/cartoon-network), Paramount Animation, and Skydance Animation.[15](https://apnews.com/article/33d35277cdb3dbd2f99ccba6382aa317)
## References
1. [Nickelodeon Movies, Nickelodeon Fandom](https://nickelodeon.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies)
2. [Nickelodeon Movies, AlegsaOnline](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/69982)
3. [Nickelodeon Movies, Rugrats Wiki (Fandom)](https://rugrats.fandom.com/wiki/Nickelodeon_Movies)
4. [Brand: Nickelodeon, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/brand/bn3698522626/)
5. [Table of Contents, Paramount IR subsidiary list](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/80d413d1-3ed9-4dac-b2cd-fe898a388f83)
6. [Spongebob Unseats American Sniper at Top of U.S. Box Office, TIME](https://time.com/3700096/spongebob-american-sniper/)
7. [All Nickelodeon Movies Ranked, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-nickelodeon-movies-ranked/)
8. [Nickelodeon, The Teardown](https://www.theteardown.co/nickelodeon)
9. ['PAW Patrol' shows bark at box office, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/f70ac42d987e7917cfd2c36781beb580)
10. [How a Children's Toy Company Launched a TV Juggernaut, TIME](https://time.com/7221756/paw-patrol-tv-merchandising/)
11. [Paramount+ Expands Kids and Family Programming, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/paramount-plus/releases/view?id=59162)
12. [ViacomCBS Unveils New Company Name, Global Content Slate, Paramount IR](https://ir.paramount.com/node/67226/pdf)
13. [Management Discussion and Analysis, HKEX filing](https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2025/0407/2025040700645.pdf)
14. [Paramount commitment between Nickelodeon and Paramount for a slate of four films, Paramount IR](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/df527513-0861-4c43-81ce-9492f476ac6f)
15. [From HBO Max to 'Harry Potter,' here's what's now under the Skydance umbrella, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/33d35277cdb3dbd2f99ccba6382aa317)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen production organizations › Animation studios › Animation studios by parent company › Animation studios owned by Paramount Global*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license