A Beloved Nicktoon Is Getting A Live-Action Movie And There's No Way This Isn't Nightmare Fuel

One of Nickelodeon's most beloved shows is coming back to life as a movie, but it sounds like it's going to be a recipe for straight-up nightmare fuel. While it's best not to judge something until we see it, this one is tough to swallow. A live-action/CGI hybrid "Rugrats" movie is currently in the works, according to Deadline. Full details have not been made available, but that alone is enough to raise a great many eyebrows.

According to the report, Jason Moore ("Pitch Perfect," "Shotgun Wedding") is on board to direct the film. Since Nickelodeon is owned by Paramount, presumably that studio will distribute the movie. Then again, there's always the possibility this could go to Netflix or directly to Paramount+. Mikey Day, of "Saturday Night Live" fame, co-wrote the film alongside his "SNL" writing partner Streeter Seidell. This project has actually been kicking around for some time, with a "Rugrats" live-action movie first entering development back in 2018. Various creators have come and gone since the original announcement, including "Family Guy" writer David Goodman.

"Rugrats" is an undeniably popular and enduring franchise. The original animated series ran for nearly 200 episodes from 1991 to 2004 (with a break from '93-'97). There was also a spin-off series titled "All Grown Up!" that ran for five season from 2003 to 2008. More recently, a CGI "Rugrats" revival series aired for two seasons on Paramount+. The CGI versions of Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, and the rest of the gang in that show would probably be enough to suggest that this movie is, at best, going to have a tough uphill climb ahead of it, and at worst, it could simply be a terrible idea to try to make a movie version in this form.

There is no word yet on casting or just how soon production could begin on the film. Again, this has been in development for a while, but this iteration has a completed script and a director with a proven track record of delivering hits, so it seems like it might be closer to becoming a reality than ever.

On one hand, it's not hard to see why a new "Rugrats" movie would make sense. 1998's "The Rugrats Movie" and 2000's "Rugrats in Paris" were both very successful, critically and commercially. "Rugrats in Paris," in particular, has become a favorite amongst fans. But this isn't a situation like "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" where live-action and CGI could blend together in a way that makes any sense. Do audiences want to see uncanny CGI babies running through live-action environments? It's hard to imagine that panning out.

In fairness, these experiments sometimes yield surprising results. 2022's "Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers" was an unexpected delight. Still, it's hard to see this particular project taking such a daring approach. Then again, with Day and Seidell penning the script, who knows? For now, this appears to be a "plan for the worst, hope for the best" situation.

The new "Rugrats" movie does not currently have a release date, but stay tuned.