If you like documentaries and were a Nickelodeon-watching child in the 1990s, then I hope you’ve seen The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story. Nick had a real hay day in the nineties, and The Orange Years is a nostalgic romp through that era. While it covers their breadth of programming then, the centerpiece of the film is around the development of three signature animated series that became runaway hits: Ren & Stimpy, Doug, and Rugrats. Rugrats was my jam. I was right in the target demographic and, as a kid attending a Jewish Community Center, the representation was a big deal. My favorite show that my friends and I are watching, and the main character (Tommy Pickles) is Jewish just like us?! Mind-blowing. (OK, Tommy’s half-Jewish, but still. And by the way, Happy New Year!) That’s why getting all voices on screen is important, but I digress… Well, my fellow nineties children, fasten your diapers, cause a new live-action/CGI Rugrats movie is in the works:

Everyone’s favorite adventurous toddlers are getting the big-screen treatment unlike any film or show in the franchise before, with sources telling Deadline that Rugrats, the classic Nickelodeon cartoon from the 1990s, is getting a live-action/CGI feature adaptation with Jason Moore on board to direct. Saturday Night Live star Mikey Day co-wrote the script with Streeter Seidell.

Created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain, the Nickelodeon series premiered in 1991 and became one of the network’s most popular series. It followed a group of toddlers — Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil — and their day-to-day lives, usually involving life experiences that become much greater adventures for the foursome.

The show would get rebooted in 1996 following three seasons and would go on to last through the 2000s. Its popularity led to three animated movies and a number of accolades, and has gained new life as a new generation discovers old episodes on streaming.

Karen Rosenfelt is producing the feature film, as are Klasky and Csupó.

Moore, the Tony-nominated director and producer of film, television and theater, seems like the ideal fit to bring these characters to life. His feature directorial debut, Pitch Perfect starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow, was a critical and commercial success; he served as executive producer on both of the sequels. Moore also directed 2015’s Universal movie Sisters, starring Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph and written by Paula Pell.

Most recently, Moore directed Shotgun Wedding, starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, for Prime Video. Upcoming, he will direct two book adaptations: Guncle, based on the bestseller by Steven Rowley, and Emma Straub’s novel This Time Tomorrow.

[From Deadline]

I’ll be honest, the child Kismet in me is feeling uber protective of my animated toddler friends and skeptical about this new movie! Though I suppose it’s rather selfish of me; Tommy Pickles is too great a baby to be denied to future generations. He is curious, wise, caring, and adventurous. Of course Tommy played Moses in the iconic Rugrats Passover, courageously demanding Pharaoh Angelica to “Let my babies go!” I had that one episode on an orange-colored VHS tape, it was EPIC. I’m encouraged that some of the original show creators are returning as producers for this movie, and I appreciate that they’re being specific enough to call it “live-action/CGI.” I know I’m a nerd, but it’s always been a bugaboo of mine the way they call the new Lion King or Lady and the Tramp “live-action” remakes. They’re not, they’re just animation of a different kind, because they didn’t use live animals. So here with Rugrats, I’m assuming the CGI will be for the babies, and the parents/adults will be live actors? No pressure to those CGI artists, but they absolutely must nail Tommy’s five-to-seven strands of hair that stick straight up on the top of his head, or the whole thing falls apart.

Photo is a screenshot from YouTube/NickToons