Nickelodeon is making a Hey, Arnold! movie, because the 90s never ended

They're also looking to revive other classic shows.

To all die-hard fans, and former children haunted by the image of the boy with the American football-shaped head; Hey, Arnold! is coming back to screens. 

Originally running 1996-2004, Nickelodeon's plans for a new, re-booted TV movie based on the original animated series looks to solve just a few hanging threads; namely, why Arnold's parents were so noticeably absent from the boy's life, spent living in his grandparents' boarding house. 

The move is all part of Nickelodeon senior vice president Chris Viscardi's plan to mine the network's classic past for new development opportunities. Long-running franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob Squarepants will continue full-strength, with a few old favourites receiving revitalization. Does that mean new Rugrats, perhaps? Or the long-awaited return of Ren & Stimpy?

Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon president, states the plans hope to bring back older fans who may now have their own children as part of a combined family experience: “You have to remember people who are going to watch really don’t have a recollection of Hey Arnold!. You have to make it relevant to them but also nod to the audience that is going to be interested". Hicks also stated that the network currently has 13 new animated series in production and a further 40 in development.

This won't be the first feature-length outing for Arnold and the gang, though, with 2002's Hey, Arnold!: The Movie receiving a general cinematic release. That plot saw its titular character on a quest to save the neighbourhood from imminent destruction at the hands of a greedy developer with plans for a luxury, high-rise shopping mall. It also (controversially, for those truly invested) featured a scene in which Arnold's monobrowed bully Helga finally revealed her suppressed feelings for her target. Surely, this re-booted TV movie will have to address whether there's a new future for the pair, or whether Helga simply reverted back to her torturing ways after the incident. The people demand answers.

No release date has been confirmed so far.