Annoying Orange has already been turned into a game for both the iPhone and iPad. Now, the insanely popular YouTube series is being developed into a show for the Cartoon Network.
According to the New York Times, the 30-minute program came about through a partnership between creator Dane Boedigheimer and the production company The Collective and will revolve around a time-traveling “fruit cart.”
The jump from YouTube clip to full television series will be difficult, especially considering that the show’s zesty star is intentionally grating. But Annoying Orange has serious strength in numbers. Realannoyorange’s YouTube channel has released 88 videos to date, garnering more than 2 million subscribers and nearly 900 million views. And the show’s adolescent, stoner humor is ripe for Cartoon Network’s demographic.
The move is part of a much larger trend of YouTube stars using the platform to springboard into other mediums: Marcel the Shell With Shoes On scored a book deal with Penguin Young Readers Group; Rebecca Black just landed a Kohl’s commercial; and Kaleb Nation received his own reality series.
The bigger question is not how Annoying Orange will translate to television, but rather how that move might affect its lively YouTube channel and established audience.
