Why It’s Time for a Danny Phantom Reboot

People who watched kids’ TV in the 2000s might remember Danny Phantom, which was a Nickelodeon show created by Butch Hartman that proved to be popular with both the critics and the viewers. For those who are unfamiliar, the show was centered on a boy named Danny Fenton, whose parents are professional ghost hunters whose expertise and experience have enabled them to create a Ghost Portal that bridges the real world with the Ghost Zone where ghosts live. As a result, Danny is exploring the Ghost Portal when he turns it on with the result that he turns into a half-ghost because of a sudden infusion of ectoplasm.

From that point forward, Danny becomes a superhero who seeks to protect his town from malevolent ghosts. In this, he is helped out by his newfound superhuman powers, which include but are not limited to the power to become invisible, the power to become intangible, the power to possess people, and other much more destructive capabilities. Furthermore, Danny has the help of his friends Sam and Tucker as well as his older sister Jazz, who pull double-duty by helping him keep his identity a secret as well. Over time, Danny becomes more and more capable with his powers, while both humans and ghosts become more and more receptive to him as a protector.

Why Are People Talking about a Danny Phantom Reboot?

In recent times, there has been a fair amount of discussion about the potential for a Danny Phantom reboot. Some people might be inclined to dismiss this, but it is important to note that this is based on solid evidence that the relevant parties are indeed considering the potential for a Danny Phantom reboot. As a result, this isn’t a rumor so much as something pending an ultimate decision.

For those who are curious, Hartman has been expressing interest in some kind of follow-up to Danny Phantom ever since the original show came to a conclusion. This was perhaps unsurprising because while the show might not have been as long-running as some of Hartman’s other creations such as The Fairly OddParents, it has a legitimate claim to being his single most popular creation so far.

Regardless, 2016 saw a clearer manifestation of Hartman’s interest in a follow-up than ever before. After all, that was the year in which he posted YouTube videos showing the concept art that he has created for the potential project. In short, Hartman’s vision is that of the same cast of characters but set 10 years down the road, meaning that Danny and his friends would be young adults in their mid 20s. Something that would remain very much connected to its predecessor show but would nonetheless be capable of going off in its own direction, thus enabling it to draw from the best of both positions as needed.

As for whether this potential project will ever come to fruition, well, that remains to be seen. It is clear that Nickelodeon hasn’t forgotten about Danny Phantom, seeing as how there was a crossover short featuring it and other shows in February of 2017. However, even if Nickelodeon decided to go with a follow-up, there is no guarantee that it will go for Hartman’s proposal rather than something else altogether. In fact, it should be mentioned that Nickelodeon has actually had a script written for a potential live-action adaptation, though that is still very different from actually giving the go-ahead on that particular project.

Is the Time Right for a Danny Phantom Reboot?

Regardless, now wouldn’t be a bad time for a follow-up to Danny Phantom. In part, this is because there has been enough passage of time to prevent concerns of overcrowding but not enough passage of time for the fan base to have withered into nothing, which is a fine balance to strike. However, it should also be noted that Danny Phantom was a genuinely decent show with a good concept behind a potential follow-up, meaning that there is no risk of such a project floundering because it went with the most generic option possible. Combined with the fact that a lot of the people who followed Danny Phantom are now in their 20s and 30s, the timing couldn’t be much better, particularly considering the nostalgia-heavy nature of the times.