Network Orders 13 Episodes of Series Based on 2003 Hit Film
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Viacom Inc.'s (NASDAQ:VIAB and VIA) Nickelodeon, the number-one
entertainment brand for kids, and Paramount Television divisions are
teaming up for the first time to produce the new live-action,
musical-comedy series School of Rock, based on the 2003 hit
film from Paramount Pictures.
Nickelodeon has ordered 13 episodes of the series, which is scheduled to
begin production this fall and premiere in the spring of 2015. Casting
for the series will be announced shortly. School of Rock will
follow the adventures and misadventures of Dewey Finn, a
down-on-his-luck rocker who poses as a substitute teacher at a
prestigious prep school as he teaches his eccentric, unconventional and
overachieving students to play and love rock ‘n' roll.
"We are thrilled our first foray into kids programming will be a
straight-to-series order with our Viacom partners at Nickelodeon," said
Amy Powell, President, Paramount Television. "With Dewey's outrageous
personality and rock star sensibilities taking center stage, School
of Rock will be an irresistibly fun show for the whole family."
"School of Rock is one of those great movies that always felt
quintessentially Nickelodeon in its tone and humor, and we jumped at the
opportunity to partner with Paramount Television and bring it to life as
a TV series," said Russell Hicks, President, Content and Development,
Nickelodeon. "Once again, kids will be able to laugh and rock!"
School of Rock will be written by Jim and Steve Armogida (Crash
& Bernstein, My Family), who will also serve as executive
producers and show runners. The movie's director Richard Linklater and
producer Scott Rudin will executive produce the television series.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand
for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first
in everything it does. The company includes television programming and
production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer
products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon's
U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has
been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years.
Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks
of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).
About Paramount Television
Paramount Television develops and finances a wide range of creative
television programming across all media platforms. Paramount Television
is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and
distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a division of Viacom
(NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television,
film and digital entertainment brands.
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Ariana Urbont
Nickelodeon
310-752-8079
ariana.urbont@nick.com
or
Jenny
Tartikoff
Paramount Television
212-843-8496
jtartikoff@rubenstein.com
Source: Nickelodeon
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