NICKELODEON’S “Wild Thornberrys” one of the most popluar kids’ shows on TV, will be the next animated show to be made into a theatrical movie, The Post has learned.

The animated film, which is expected to have a budget of at least $25 million, is planned to hit theaters sometime in 2002.

“Thornberrys” (which airs Tues. and Thurs. at 8 p.m.), is about Eliza Thornberry, a 12-year-old who can secretly talk to animals, and her globe-trotting family.

Eliza’s voice is provided by Lacy Chabert (“Party of Five”), while some other members of her family are voiced by Tim Curry (“Rocky Horror Picture Show”) and Flea from the music’s Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“The Thornberrys travel all over the world and the show centers on wildlife,” Terry Thorn, CEO of Klasky Csupo, Inc. the studio that produces the show. “So in our minds, ‘The Thornberrys’ is a television show that was perfectly suited for the big silver screen.”

Klasky Csupo is the same studio that produces the other popular kids’ show, “Rugrats.” The “Rugrats” movie which was released last fall, has become the first non-Disney animated film to gross over $100 million.

Based on the success of “Rugrats,” Csupo said the studio plans to release a new animated movie every year from now on.

“Thornberrys” debuted last Sept. and quickly became one of the most-watched kids’ show on cable, network TV or in syndication, for children between the ages of two and 11.