The football head is back. This week, Nickelodeon announced 19 voices from the animated series Hey Arnold! will return for the network’s upcoming TV movie, Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie.
Hey Arnold! debuted in 1996 and ran until 2004. The show followed a group of city kids on their many adventures.
The 19 voices returning for the movie include Francesca Marie Smith as Helga, Anndi McAfee as Phoebe, Justin Shenkarow as Harold, Olivia Hack as Rhonda, Dan Butler as Mr. Simmons, and Dan Castellaneta as Grandpa.
The original voices of Arnold and Gerald, Lane Toran and Jamil Smith, will also be back but as other supporting characters. Instead, newcomers Mason Vale Cotton and Benjamin “L’il P-Nut” Flores, Jr. will play Arnold and Gerald.
The two-hour Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie is slated to premiere in 2017.
See a photo from creator Craig Bartlett and read more details below:
Burbank, Calif.-Monday, June 13, 2016-Nickelodeon announced today that the upcoming TV movie titled Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie will feature 19 original voices from the beloved television series. The announcement comes in the midst of Nickelodeon’s 25th anniversary celebration of original creator-driven animation. Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie is written and executive produced by the series’ original creator Craig Bartlett and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank. The two-hour TV movie will debut in 2017.
The voice actors reprising their famed roles include: Francesca Marie Smith (The Prince of Egypt) as Helga; Anndi McAfee (Tom and Jerry: The Movie) as Phoebe; Justin Shenkarow (Recess) as Harold; Olivia Hack (Family Guy) as Rhonda; Nika Futterman (The Boxtrolls) as Olga; Dan Butler (Frasier) as Mr. Simmons; Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons) as Grandpa; Tress MacNeille (The Simpsons) as Grandma; Antoinette Stella (Melrose Place, writer) as Stella; Carlos Alazraqui (Happy Feet) as Eduardo; Dom Irrera (Back at the Barnyard) as Ernie; Maurice LaMarche (Futurama) as Bob Pataki; Kath Soucie (Rugrats) as Miriam; Danielle Judovits (Toy Story) as Big Patty; Danny Cooksey (The Lorax) as Stoop Kid; Jim Belushi (According to Jim) as Coach Wittenberg; and Craig Bartlett as Miles.
Additionally, Lane Toran (original voice of Arnold) and Jamil Smith (original voice of Gerald) will supplement the returning cast by lending their voices to several other roles.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to work with these talented voice actors who brought to life one of the most celebrated cartoons in Nickelodeon’s history,” said Chris Viscardi, SVP, Content Development, Nickelodeon Franchise Properties. “The voice cast is an essential piece to the Hey Arnold! universe and we’re excited for a new generation of fans to hear these characters in a new TV movie.”
Original cast members will give new life to Helga, a complicated and cynical girl who puts up a mean front, but is full of extreme emotions; Phoebe, Helga’s confidante and loyal best friend; Harold, a former bully with a tough exterior and soft interior; Rhonda, a fashionista who comes from a preppy and prestigious family; and Olga, Helga’s beautiful, intelligent and friendly older sister; as well as the other colorful characters.
New voices in the Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie include: Mason Vale Cotton (Mad Men) as Arnold; Benjamin “L’il P-Nut” Flores, Jr. (Game Shakers) as Gerald; Gavin Lewis (Real Boy) as Eugene; Jet Jurgensmeyer (Bubble Guppies) as Stinky; Aiden Lewandowski (Comedy Bang! Bang!) as Sid; Laya Hayes (Santa Hunters) as Nadine; Nicolas Cantu (The Impossible Joy) as Curly; Wally Wingert (Sonic Boom) as Oskar; and Stephen Stanton (Star Wars Rebels) as Pigeon Man.
Rounding out the cast, Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) voices resident villain, Lasombra, an infamous river pirate operating from a secret compound in the jungles of San Lorenzo.
The greenlight for an original Hey Arnold! TV movie was announced earlier this year. Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie will feature a storyline that picks up from where the original series ended in 2004 and will resolve unanswered questions and plotlines–including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents.”
What do you think? Did you watch Hey Arnold! the original series? Will you watch the TV movie?
