Nickelodeon Greenlights Two Comedy Projects Starring Internet Sensation Lucas Cruikshank AKA Fred

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon has licensed 21 episodes of FRED: THE SHOW, a new live-action, short-form comedy series created by and starring internet sensation Lucas Cruikshank ("Fred Figglehorn") and ordered a new pilot Marvin, Marvin as a starring vehicle for Cruikshank, it was announced today by Marjorie Cohn, President, Original Programming and Development, Nickelodeon. 

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Based on one of the most popular internet characters of all time, the single-camera, 11-minute FRED: THE SHOW episodes build on the network's hugely successful Fred television movies, Fred: The Movie and Fred: Night of the Living Fred.  Set to premiere in early 2012, Fred: The Show follows the character on his latest hilarious adventures at home and in school.  Production on the series has begun in Los Angeles.   

A multi-camera, half-hour comedy, the Marvin, Marvin pilot stars Cruikshank as a quirky, intergalactic new kid in school who clumsily tries to adapt to his new life as a human teenager.

"Lucas is an immensely talented actor and comedian whose unique brand of humor is a proven winner with our audience," said Cohn.  "The 11-minute format of FRED: THE SHOW will be a great showcase for more of his signature adventures."

The projects come on the heels of the success of Cruikshank's most recent original television movie for Nickelodeon, Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred, which debuted on Oct. 22 and delivered 5.7 million total viewers for its primetime premiere, ranking as that week's number-one telecast with kids 6-11 and kids 2-11. Cruikshank made his TV debut in the mega-hit series iCarly in 2009, with his episode, "iMeet Fred" drawing 5.1 million total viewers. He later brought Fred to life in the 2010 smash hit Fred: The Movie which delivered 8.7 million total viewers, landing the two-hour premiere in the top spot as the number-one TV cable movie with kids 6-11 and kids 2-11. The Nickelodeon TV movie also ranked as the year's number-two entertainment telecast with kids 6-11 and kids 2-11 on all TV. In 2010, Cruikshank was named one of "10 Comics to Watch" by Daily Variety and was listed among the 50 Top Digital Power Players by The Hollywood Reporter.

FRED: THE SHOW is created and executive produced by Cruikshank. Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett of Varsity Pictures and Gary Binkow and Evan Weiss of The Collective also serve as executive producers.    

Marvin, Marvin is created by Jon Ross (10 Things I Hate About You) and is being executive produced by show-runner Jeff Bushell (Beverly Hills Chihuahua). Evan Weiss and Gary Binkow are also executive producing through their company, The Collective. 

FRED: THE SHOW producer Brian Robbins, founder and president of Varsity Pictures, is one of entertainment's most prolific producers.  In features, Robbins has directed and/or produced films such as Disney's Wild Hogs, Dreamworks' Norbit, Paramount's Coach Carter, Disney's The Shaggy Dog, Sony's Radio, Paramount's Varsity Blues, and the upcoming Dreamworks movie, A Thousand Words, starring Eddie Murphy, which Robbins directed and produced. Robbins is also responsible for numerous popular and critical television hits, including the long-running CW series Smallville and One Tree Hill, Disney Channel's series Sonny With A Chance and Spike TV's new original scripted comedy, Blue Mountain State. Robbins was also the producing force behind series such as Nickelodeon's All That, WB's What I Like About You and HBO's Arli$$.

The Collective is a leading entertainment management, production and distribution company. The Collective's mission is to unlock the value of the direct relationship between artists and their fans by identifying, developing building and maximizing opportunities for creative talent across a multitude of media platforms. Clients include Linkin Park, Counting Crows, Enrique Iglesias, Slash, Alanis Morissette, Godsmack, Martin Lawrence, Emile Hirsch, Eliza Dushku, Eddie Izzard, Lucas Cruikshank and Dane Boedigheimer, creator of Internet sensation "The Annoying Orange." Based in Beverly Hills, The Collective employs a staff of more than seventy employees.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd 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 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

SOURCE Nickelodeon