Nickelodeon to Relaunch Dora the Explorer with Diana Zermeño’s Animated Theatrical Short “Dora and the Fantastical Creatures”

It’s a fantastical time for Diana Zermeño.

Nickelodeon is relaunching the famed Latina explorer in new animated theatrical short, Dora and the Fantastical Creatures, featuring the Latina actress in the voice cast as the titular character, exclusively in theaters on Friday, September 29.

Dora and the Fantastical CreaturesThe short film will precede the Spin Master Entertainment/Nickelodeon Movies/Paramount picture, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

It’s a Dora like you’ve never seen her before — in complete CGI animation.

The new CGI animated preschool series of Dora will debut in spring 2024 on Paramount+ stateside. Internationally, Dora will stream day-and-date on Paramount+ and air on Nickelodeon channels in all markets where available.

In Dora and the Fantastical Creatures, Dora (Zermeño) and Boots (Asher Spence) embark on an incredible adventure to the land of alebrijes, the most magical and colorful creatures in the rainforest. There, they must band together against Swiper (Marc Weiner) to save the beloved alebrijes and their Copal Tree Celebration.

The short film also features: Anairis Quiñones as Luna Arcoiris; Danny Burstein as Sol; and Kate del Castillo as Ale. Following the debut of Dora and the Fantastical Creatures, additional Dora content will also be available across Nickelodeon platforms, Paramount+ and Noggin.

The short is produced by Nickelodeon Animation in Burbank, Calif. William Mata is directing from a screenplay by Alejandro Bien-Willner and a story by Bien-Willner and Sean Gill. Production is overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Executive Vice President, Global Animated Series, Nickelodeon. Miriam Ritchie and Marielle Kaar serve as Nickelodeon’s Executives in Charge of Production for the short. Dora the Explorer is created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner.

Joining the cast of Dora and the Fantastical Creatures in the new Dora series are additional voice actors, including: Anairis Quiñones as Map and The Fiesta Trio’s armadillo; Maria Canals-Barrera as Abuela; Danny Burstein as Grumpy Old Troll, and The Fiesta Trio’s frog and marmoset; Katarina Sky as Backpack; Donovan Monzon-Sanders as Tico; Tandi Fomukong as Isa; Quintún Muñoz as Benny; and Chris Gifford as Big Red Chicken.

Nicolas Cantu to Star in CG-Animated Feature “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”

It’s turtle time for Nicolas Cantu.

The 19-year-old Latino actor will lend his voice to the CG-animated theatrical feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem from Paramount PicturesNickelodeon Movies and Point Grey Productions.

Nicolas CantuSeth Rogen, who voices mutant warthog Bebop, made the announcement at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday night in an appearance alongside lead cast members Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Cantu and Brady Noon.

Abbey will voice Ninja Turtle Donatello, with Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Cantu as Leonardo and Noon as Raphael.

Others lending their voices to the film heading to theaters on August 4 include Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog; Rose Byrne as Leatherhead; John Cena as Rocksteady; Jackie Chan as Splinter; Ice Cube as Superfly; Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut; Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil; Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman; Post Malone as Ray Fillet; Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko; and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film is an original story following the crime-fighting Ninja Turtles as they protect the sewers and streets of New York City. After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil (Edibiri) helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs. the Machines) directed the film, marking Nickelodeon’s first-ever CG-animated theatrical production. Point Grey Productions’ Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver produced, with the company’s Lukas Williams co-producing and its own Josh Fagen overseeing the project. Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation President Ramsey Naito and Jason McConnell have overseen production for Nickelodeon, with Paramount to handle the film’s worldwide distribution.

“We are beyond thrilled by this world-class cast we’ve assembled to bring these iconic, beloved characters to life in a new chapter of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe,” said Naito in a statement. “This really sets a new bar for this globally celebrated franchise, and we can’t wait to show audiences this film.”

An enduring kids’ franchise created in 1984 by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began its life as a comic book series which spurred a hit animated TV show, a live-action series and numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse that has generated billions by way of toys, apparel, video games, DVDs and more. Nickelodeon most recently revitalized it with the CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2012, with a 2D animated series titled Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles following in 2019.