In the news these days, Paramount and Warner Bros have been sharing some major headlines. Following the news that Netflix was set on adding the WB to its roster, Paramount doesn’t seem to be bowing out without a fight as the company is unveiling its plans for a “hostile takeover.” Ironically enough, this news falls around the time when a Cartoon Network heavy hitter celebrates a special anniversary. Shockingly enough, the animated series from Pendleton Ward first got its start on Nickelodeon before the Land of Ooooo, and the original episode has once again made the rounds online.
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Adventure Time first debuted in 2008 as a part of the defunct animated series on Nickelodeon, Random! Cartoons. While the premiere installment, which you can check out below, had the likes of Finn, Jake, Ice King, and Lady Rainicorn, the art style and voice work were quite different from what we had seen before. Pendleton Ward had attempted to transform this property into a Nickelodeon series, but the cable network had passed on the project, much to its detriment. Luckily, Cartoon Network was more than willing to give Adventure Time a shot, especially since the pilot had gone viral on YouTube, picking up the series in 2010 and having quite a history that continues to this day. Even following the original series finale, the universe from Ward has continued with the current spin-off, Adventure Time: Fionna And Cake, which focuses on the female iterations of Finn and Jake in a brand new universe.
Ironically enough, it was reported that Nickelodeon had originally passed on the property as it was deemed a show that was too focused on a “younger audience.” While the general feel of the series didn’t change in the original Cartoon Network series, Fionna And Cake tends to a far older audience thanks to its HBO Max platform. Should Paramount somehow find a way to acquire Warner Bros, the entire history of Adventure Time would truly come full circle. You can check out the pilot episode that introduced animation fans to Jake and Finn below.
Adventure Time’s Bright Future
Currently, Adventure Time: Fionna And Cake is in the throes of its second season, with only a few episodes left before we once again say goodbye to the dynamic duo. While a third season has yet to be confirmed, we might see the characters make a comeback. Even if Cake and Fionna don’t return, the world of Oooo has some major projects on the way. For those who might not be familiar with the original ending of Adventure Time, it ended in a rather definitive way, but fortunately, Pendleton Ward has been more than willing to return to this post-apocalyptic world and the various universes that spawned from within it.
An Adventure Time movie is in the works, as was announced last year, with various spin-offs also set to hit the screen. On top of the film, Heyo B-MO will be an animated series focusing on the titular character, participating in wacky hijinks, focused on a much younger audience. Luckily, Finn and Jake are set to make a comeback with the upcoming Adventure Time: Side Quests, a spin-off that will see the adventurers return with journeys we have never seen before. Adventure Time has become a juggernaut for Cartoon Network, and we have to wonder how it would have done had it been picked up by Nickelodeon and if it would have taken off in the same way.
What do you think of Adventure Time’s strange beginnings? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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