Johnny Rotten voicing a mutant pig in 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'

Now here’s a headline we never thought we’d write.

John Lydon AKA Johnny Rotten, the front man of the Sex Pistols and PIL, is voicing a villain in Nickelodeon’s new Ninja Turtles series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It gets better: He’s playing Meat Sweats, a “power-hungry mutant pig”.

Lydon’s involvement in the show, which starts in September on Channel 5 and Nicktoons, was announced at San Diego Comic-Con where a new trailer for the animated series was also revealed.

Watch the new trailer below.

WWE superstar John Cena has also joined the cast as the villainous Baron Draxum, alongside Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey as Big Mama, a gigantic spider mutant, and Rhys Darby as Hypno-Potamus, a mutant magician/hippo.

Based on the classic comics and the 1980s cartoon (known confusingly in the UK as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles), this is fourth animated series to be produced about the heroes in a half shell who fight crime from the sewers of New York City. There have also been six movies based on the franchise, five live action, and one animated.

Here’s the full announcement:

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows the Turtles on all-new adventures as they master new powers, encounter absurd mutants and battle bizarre villains, each with their own motivations. Ranging from mystics, mutants and madmen, new creatures and villains emerge to take on Raph, Leo, Donnie and Mikey in battles across New York City. From the tallest skyscraper to the dankest sewer drain, the brothers learn to work together and navigate the perils of New York City and the hidden realms below in order to fulfil their destiny to become a team of heroes.

The line-up of guest stars voicing these new mutants and bizarre villains includes: Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) as Big Mama, a gigantic spider mutant; John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect) as Warren Stone, a former news anchor turned mutant earthworm; Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Albearto, a singing, birthday-loving rampaging robot; Sam Richardson and Tim Simons (Veep) as Muninn and Huginn. gargoyles who are never far from their master, Baron Draxum; John Rotten Lydon (Public Image Ltd ‘PiL’ and Sex Pistols) as Meat Sweats, a power-hungry mutant pig; Rhys Darby (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) as Hypno-Potamus, a mutant magician/hippo; and Jorge Gutierrez (El Tigre) as Ghostbear, a human pro-wrestler champion with a taste for cheating.

In addition, Rob Paulsen (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Maurice LaMarche (Animaniacs) reunite behind the mic as Foot Lieutenant, the de-facto leader of the Foot Clan, and Foot Brute, the Foot Lieutenant’s right-hand man.

The series stars the voice talent of Omar Miller (Ballers) as Raph, a jagged-shelled snapping turtle; Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Leo, a red-eared slider turtle; Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) as Donnie, a soft-shell turtle; Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) as Mikey, a box turtle; Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) as April O’Neil, a street savvy native New Yorker; Eric Bauza (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Splinter, father figure and sensei to the Turtles; and WWE Superstar John Cena as the villainous, Baron Draxum.

The new 26-episode series is co-executive produced by Andy Suriano (character designer, Samurai Jack) and Ant Ward (supervising producer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) at Nickelodeon in Burbank. Veteran animation industry voice actor Rob Paulsen is voice directing the series.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, debuting in the UK simultaneously on Nicktoons and Channel 5 from Saturday, 22 September at 10am.

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