Comedy Central has announced that they're rebooting the Nickelodeon cult-classic cartoon series The Ren and Stimpy Show. Along with the recently-announced Beavis and Butt-Head reboot, Ren and Stimpy is part of a broader plan by the network to double-down on adult-oriented shows like South Park.
"We are excited to reinvent this iconic franchise with a new creative team and our partners at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio," said ViacomCBS exec Chris McCarthy. "Ren & Stimpy joins our rapidly expanding roster of adult animation including South Park, Beavis and Butt-Head and Clone High as we continue to reimagine our treasure chest of beloved IP for new generations."
It sounds like Comedy Central is aiming to retain the same "mature" humor as the original series, which aired on the traditionally kid-friendly Nickelodeon network but was well-known for its use of dark humor and sexual innuendo. It's worth noting that the original show's creator John Kricfalusi – who has been accused of inappropriate behavior – will not be involved with the reboot.
Both Nickelodeon and Comedy Central are owned by ViacomCBS, which means we could see reboots crop up for any number of classic cartoons. Comedy Central said in a press release that they plan on "unlocking and reinventing a treasure chest of IP across ViacomCBS," but it's unclear where they'll set their sights next. It sounds like Comedy Central is looking for more adult-themed shows to adapt, so maybe we'll end up getting a reboot of Rocko's Modern Life.
