Jimmy Neutron 2.0

Jimmy Neutron 2.0 is a 2026 American 3D computer-animated science fiction comedy-drama film produced by Nickelodeon Movies with association with O Entertainment and released by Paramount Pictures, written and directed by John A. Davis with Steve Oedekerk co-producing. This is the second film in the Nicktoons Cinematic Series and the sequel to 2001's Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The film features Debi Derryberry, Carolyn Lawrence, Rob Paulsen, Jeff Garcia, and Crystal Scales reprising their roles with Kelsey Grammer, Brie Larson, Eugene Levy, and Ty Burrell joining the cast. The film's premise has Retroville being enslaved by a race called the Coractians and Jimmy and company must save their hometown.

A sequel for Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius was in development under the title Jimmy Neutron 2: The Search for Carl, but never materialized and was cancelled over agreements on a story and the existence of the subsequent TV series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. In the wake of the NCS, development on the sequel had undergone a resurgence. John Debney returned as composer, making this his fifth collaboration with Nickelodeon Movies and third collaboration with Davis after The Ant Bully (2006).

Jimmy Neutron 2.0 premiered in Los Angeles on November 30, 2026, then released in the United States on December 4, grossing $403.7 million worldwide against its $35 million budget and receiving positive reviews with critics deeming it as superior to its predecessor.

Plot
Three years the events of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Jimmy Neutron had become popular to his peers in school and had developed a romantic relationship with Cindy Vortex after confessing their feelings towards each other and dropping their feud. Meanwhile, an alien race called the Coractians whose planet was destroyed by one of its warriors named Vex, who has her father, Viz, shot out into space as a warning should she disobey her ruler, Vaz, again. To compensate for destroying their planet, Vex charts a course to Earth, as one of the local planets.

A month later, Jimmy creates a device called the "Earth Barrier", which is a work-in-progress dome-like shield as a means to protect Retroville, along with the rest of the Earth from any following invasions. Just as Jimmy tests out the contraption, he gets an alert that a spacecraft is landing in Retroville. Jimmy and Retroville's other civilians arrive at the spacecraft that is the Coractian Vessel. Vaz emerges out of the Vessel with his guards and warriors, subsequently announcing that he will be overtaking their town for their resources, in which they retaliate by pelting them with various objects, but fearfully acquiesce after one of the guards disintegrates a bird with their staff. After Vaz has taken over Retroville, Vaz congratulates Vex for choosing Earth as their new home.

Jimmy and his friends hide out in his lab to formulate a plan to stop Vaz. Vex infiltrates his lab after following them and wants to help in defeating Vaz as well after regret of choosing Earth for the Coractians out of fear of Vaz executing her. Her father, Viz, in disguise, arrives at the lab as he followed Vex and says he hung onto the Vessel the whole trip to reunite with and help her. With the use of Vex's staff, Jimmy creates armor plates for him and the rest to prevent the staffs' disintegration feature from harming them.

With Vaz located at the sports arena, they send Sheen out as a diversion to distract the guards while the others subdue his cronies while Jimmy and Vex enter the arena to confront Vaz, but are apprehended by Coractian general Vog. Broadcasting a live execution of the two, Vaz announces that said execution will be an example for attempt at harming their new leader. Cindy has Sheen go back to Jimmy's lab to retrieve an invention while they intervene by requesting to say farewell as a means to stall the execution. Tired of them prolonging their demise, Vaz was about to order the guards shoo them out before being hypnotized by Jimmy's Hypno-Beam held by Sheen, who was wearing Jimmy's missing invisibility cloak to disguise himself; Sheen has Vaz surrender himself and command his guards to free Jimmy and Vex. Vog discovers Sheen's presence and almost exposes him before Jimmy subdues Vog with his shrink ray.

Jimmy later uses the Hypno Beam on Vaz to have him step down and promote Vex as Emperor, which Vex's first order by having the Coractians leave Earth and relocate without her. After the Coractians leave while Vex and Viz stay on Earth to start a new life, Jimmy sets up the Barrier, which successfully works on the first try, along with screening a message of the barrier to people around the globe. Jimmy and his friends then receive awards, the latter receive metals for saving Retroville and the former receives a trophy for keeping Retroville and the rest of the Earth from intergalactic harm. The group then celebrates at the Candy Bar along with welcoming Vex and Viz into their town.

Cast

 * Debi Derryberry as Jimmy Neutron, a child prodigy who makes various inventions and is Cindy's boyfriend.
 * Carolyn Lawrence as Cindy Vortex, a self-centered but well-meaning girl who is currently Jimmy's former rival and currently his girlfriend.
 * Rob Paulsen as Carl Weezer, an asthmatic and shy friend of Jimmy's.
 * Jeff Garcia as Sheen Estevez, Jimmy's friend who is obsessed with Ultra Lord media.
 * Crystal Scales as Libby Folfax, Cindy's best friend.
 * Kelsey Grammer as Emperor Vaz, ruler of the planet Coractia.
 * Brie Larson as Vex, a Coractian warrior who helps Jimmy save Retroville.
 * Ty Burrell as Vog, a Coractian general to Vaz.
 * Eugene Levy as Viz, Vex's father whom was presumably executed by Vaz.
 * Idris Elba as Ven, a ditzy muscular Coractian head guard.
 * Bill Hader as Vaw, a stern and short Coractian head guard paired with Ven.
 * Frank Welker as Goddard, Jimmy's robotic dog.
 * Megan Cavanagh as Judy Neutron, Jimmy's mother.
 * Cavanagh also provides the voice of Jimmy's identification A.I., VOX.
 * Mark DeCarlo as Hugh Neutron, Jimmy's father.
 * Andrea Martin as Ms. Winfred Fowl, teacher of the school Jimmy and his friends attend.
 * Candi Milo as Nick Dean, student in Jimmy's class and is on good terms with Jimmy.
 * Kate McKinnon as Ms. Susan Dean, Ms. Fowl's substitute on Saturdays and Sundays.

Development
A sequel for Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius was in development for a summer 2004 release back in February 2002. Former producer, Albie Hecht, reported to The Los Angeles Times that it "would be made on the same budget as the first, but with a new batch of inventions and adventures in Jimmy's town of Retroville." In June 2002, Kate Boutilier had signed on to write the sequel under the title Jimmy Neutron 2: The Search for Carl, but the sequel was never materialized; its plot was instead used for the Game Boy Advance version of the video game Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron. Also furthering its cancellation was that the writers could not agree on a story and Keith Alcorn later stating in an interview that "once [The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius] came out, there wasn't a lot of incentive to make a movie when fans could simply watch Jimmy Neutron for free at home."

Following the announcement of the Nicktoons Cinematic Series, production on the sequel was rekindled with John A. Davis returning as director and writer. During writing on the sequel, it would serve as a continuation to the series. The premise itself was originally to focus on Jimmy setting out to save his friends when they get abducted, but was reworked to distance itself from similarity towards its predecessor and the subsequent entry Teenage Robot Beyond Tremorton; the sequel was set in Retroville with an alien race overtaking the town. Following Davis' production company DNA Productions having closed down in 2006, animation on the sequel was provided by Bardel Entertainment.

Casting
The original cast of the franchise signed on to reprise their roles, including Debi Derryberry and Crystal Scales. Kelsey Grammer was cast as Vaz, a tyrannical ruler of the planet Coractia; Grammer had previous voiced antagonistic characters such as Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons and Stinky Pete from Toy Story 2. Brie Larson was cast as Coractian worrier Vex. Idris Elba and Bill Hader were cast as Coractian head guards Ven and Vaw, whose interactions are reminiscent to comedy duos Laurel and Hardy and Abbott and Costello with Hader's character as the straight man opposite Elba's. Eugene Levy as Vex's father Viz, making this his third animated role as a father after Over the Hedge and Finding Dory. Additionally, Ty Burrell was cast as Vaz's general Vog.

Music
John Debney, who composed the previous film, was confirmed to be returning. Debney was also allowed to also reuse previous orchestral themes from the first film.

The Jimmy Neutron theme song that was written and performed by Brian Causey was used in the film's end credits rather than Bowling for Soup's cover from the first film as Causey's version was more familiar with audiences thanks to the television series. Paramount Music released the score and the theme song on the film's soundtrack album.

Additional songs include the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", played during Jimmy's newly romantic relationship with Cindy; "Wild One Two" by Jack Back featuring David Guetta, Nicky Romero and Sia, played during the montage of Jimmy testing the team's armor plates; and Electric Light Orchestra's re-recorded version of "Xanadu", played during the end of the film; and Queen's "Heaven For Everyone", played during the credits.

Release
Jimmy Neutron 2.0 premiered on November 24, 2019, in Los Angeles. The film was later released on December 4, in the United States. Jimmy Neutron 2.0 was the first NCS film without a theatrical short. Paramount Home Entertainment released Jimmy Neutron 2.0 on digital on March 2, 2027, and on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 23. Special features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, retrospectives with the cast and crew and an interactive game. The Blu-ray, in particular, is the first of the NCS that uses the film's Dolby Atmos track than just its 4K counterpart and is the only non-combo pack Blu-ray release of an NCS film.

Box office
Jimmy Neutron 2.0 grossed $157.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $246.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $403.7 billion.

Critical response
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 76%, with an average score of 7/10, based on 325 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Returning with his signature wit and genius, Jimmy Neutron 2.0 is a no-brainer for moviegoers in this new inclusion of the Nicktoons Cinematic Series." Metacritic gave a weighted average score of 62 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, a score higher compared to its predecessor's "A−".