Invader Zim Returns Trailer Released Online

04/04/2017 05:35 pm EDT

Nickelodeon has released the first official trailer for Invader Zim Returns, their just-announced feature film starring the characters from Jhonen Vasquez's cult favorite animated series.

Invader Zim debuted on Nickelodeon in 2001. Thes how starred an alien, Zim, who landed on Earth with plans to conquer it and win points with his own alien race. It turned out Zim actually wasn't very good at the whole conquest thing, but he and his companion, the robot GIR, proved a charming pair as they attempted to assimilate into the human culture to learn more about their would-be subjects.

The new Invader Zim movie will bring back several members of the show's original voice cast: Richard Horvitz as Zim, Rikki Simons as GIR, Andy Berman as Dib, and Melissa Fahn as Gaz. The Invader Zim TV movie will have a 90-minute runtime and begins with Zim hatching a brand new scheme to conquer Earth.

Invader Zim only ran for two seasons on Nickelodeon but has enjoyed continued popularity with a dedicated fanbase, with merchandise omnipresent in the years since the show ended, and a fan-favorite comic book series from Oni Press launching last year.

Invader Zim is the third popular animated series from the past, for which Nickelodeon has recently announced new plans. The first is Hey Arnold!, which will return to Nickelodeon for Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie later this year. Nickelodeon also announced plans for a similar Rocko's Modern Life TV movie recently.

After budgetary concerns led to Invader Zim's cancellation during the show's second season, a number of completed episodes never made it to air, but were included on the DVD releases in 2004 and 2006. even so, the cancellation scuttled plans for numerous already-plotted episodes and an intended TV movie at the time.

During its initial run, Invader Zim won an Annie Award, an Emmy Award, and a World Animation Celebration Award. It was nominated for six Annie Awards in total and a Golden Reel Award.

Invader Zim's cult following proved to be strong enough to spawn its own convention. Called InvaderCON, the event ran for three consecutive years and counted cast members, writers, animation crew, and Vasquez himself as guests.

In 2015, Oni Press launched an Invader Zim comic book series with Vasquez himself on board as a writer. Invader Zim #18 hit the stands in March 2017, and a deluxe collection of the first 12 issues is available for preorder now. Invader Zim #8 even adapted the idea for an unproduced Invader Zim episode, "When Pants Ruled!"

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