A petition to revive the Nickelodeon show Danny Phantom has recently gained traction online. The animated series was conceived by The Fairly OddParents creator Butch Hartman and initially aired from 2004 to 2007. Considered by some to be among the best of Nickelodeon’s run of animated successes in the mid-2000s, Danny Phantom has become the latest childhood property to receive a revival campaign from dedicated fans online.
Danny Phantom follows the adventures of a teenager named Danny Fenton, who gains various superpowers like flight and invisibility after an accident in his ghost-obsessed parents’ laboratory. Despite his initial hesitation, Danny eventually learns to embrace his powers and commits to becoming a superhero to defend his family and hometown from the threat of malevolent ghosts. The show bears many similarities to Marvel’s Spider-Man series, with both protagonists forced to juggle the responsibilities of being a superhero along with the everyday mundanities of being a teenager. This timeless formula proved to be a success as Danny Phantom has retained a solid following since its finale aired well over a decade ago.
Fans of Danny Phantom started a petition on Change.org several years ago urging Nickelodeon to revive the show. The description states that the show “continues to maintain a large, passionate fan base over a decade after its cancellation, showing true dedication to the series and appreciation of its quality.” Although the petition has yet to reach its goal, it has maintained a consistent stream of engagement and has just recently crossed 17,000 supporters.
Nickelodeon isn’t a stranger to reviving their older IPs for a modern audience. Paramount+ recently developed a revival series for the classic Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly, with all the original actors reprising their original roles. Additionally, a live-action reboot of Hartman’s The Fairly Oddparents is set to begin filming later this year. In the midst of all these revivals, it’s as opportune a time as ever for Danny Phantom to receive the same treatment.
As media consumption has become more democratized in recent years, revival campaigns such as this one have become more and more common. Just last month, fans of the YA book series Eragon started a viral campaign for Disney to create a proper adaptation of the franchise as well. While the 80s and 90s nostalgia have been in vogue for the last decade, it seems that the wheel is now turning to the 2000s. Hopefully, Nickelodeon catches wind of this movement, and Danny Phantom will again have its day in the sun.
