Could the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles be returning to the big screen in a new live action film? The Playmates Toys website has the following statement:
“Following the success of the ‘TMNT’ theatrical release in 2007, Mirage licensing and Imagi studios have begun work on a new live-action TMNT film for 2010. It’s the turtles like you’ve never seen them before! Shellalicious!”
As much as I enjoyed the TMNT animated feature, I was left longing for the old live action films, as bad as they might have been (Remember the Ninja rap?). I really wish that with the expected success of The Dark Knight, that Imagi would consider making a darker TMNT, something closer to Kevin Eastman/Peter Laird’s original vision. But I doubt they will go in that direction. Also, Imagi is a computer animation studio, which makes me wonder if the live-action aspect is a typo or maybe that the turtles will be cg in a live action world.
Update: Following the publication of this story, Playmates removed the mention of “live-action” from their website.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:56 am
The day the Turtle became a cartoon marketed for little kids was the beginning of the end for them. For those that have seen and read the old Eastman and Laird stuff I think you’d agree with Peter’s wish. A darker, grittier, more adult TMNT could be taken seriously and could be really good. Ahh, well, what do you do?
July 16th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
the ninja turtles live action movies were a staple of my childhood
July 16th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Growing up in the 80’s I loved the cartoons, but later discovered the comics. I don’t think they can get too serious with a live active movie.. remember guys they are human sized turtles. Heck when they were brainstormed up from a joke to begin with.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
The first movie still stands as the best mutan turtles movie ever concieved. I’d like to see a true sequel to it. And that cgi movie was stupid shit.I can’t believe people give that a pass. Why was it made? What continuity was it following? It has no place.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Uhm… “Shellalicious”? They really used that word?
July 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
@Superman - I actually really enjoyed the 2007 TMNT movie. The CG was exceptional considering the time and budget, and the fight scenes were truly entertaining. I believe it actually followed the most recent cartoons continuity.
The Ninja Turtles is one of those classics that I grew up with. Like the Transformers, they have managed to stay current with dozens of different incarnations. I’m really excited to hear about a potential live action movie, but also very scared. Does anyone else remember the ‘live action’ television series they did a few years back? With the chick turtle?? Yeah…. we don’t need that. I know it’s not the ‘dark and gritty’ world of the original comics, but the creators knew the changes that would be made many years ago when they signed those contracts. I like the turtles as they are… there’s a great nostalgic aspect to it. LOL my son loves the last movie and plays it continously. When my friends are over we actually all laugh and talk and compare which turtle we liked and why. I don’t know if I wanna loose that…
July 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
It’s gonna suck, period
July 16th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
i bet it will be photo realistic animated 3d with the new tech close to what James Cameron is using for his new film avatar.
i bet it will be pretty cool
July 16th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
OMG! OMG! Yes! I’m a huge fan of the turtles and this is going to be awesome.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
if it is going to be CG they should just do another CG movie. I loved the original movies but would rather see a full cg again than something that might look like garfield or the chipmuncks.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
CGI or live action, this will be better than The Whackness.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
@Greyson “CGI or live action, this will be better than The Whackness.” that’s the truth.
the first turtles movie is the best and would probably be considered dark still today. i want to see if they can pull off that old style again. turtles III sucks.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
how can you compare this to the whackness lol?
July 16th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I dug TMNT. Story was a little schlocky (I haven’t watched that much of the more recent animated series but I understand that that sort of sci-fi tone is pretty common, so I won’t rail against it as “going against the typical Turtles movie story”) but, as has been said, the animation and performances were all phenomenal.
A new live-action film would be interesting. I think it could really be great, too. It doesn’t need to be as dark as the original books but to the level of the first live-action film? And sprinkle in some more ambitious action sequences (totally realistically possible, now, with a mixture of animatronic suits and CG)… that movie could really succeed. I’m envisioning something with a tone like IRON MAN — you could delve into personal, meaningful, weighty stuff without having to turn it into a brood-fest but also without compromising the themes of the Turtles.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I love the TMNT, but idk how I feel about this. The CG movie wasn’t that bad, I’m not a big fan of the ancient monster story line, but I think it had a good idea with the turtles. Though if its in the same continuity of the past Turtle movies that might be a bit weird. I mean live action to CG and then back to live action. I kind of feel like they should do a rebot of the movie series. Pull an Incredible Hulk. The old movies are ultra cheesy and pretty bad in retrospect even though they were big as a kid, but they could make the turtles pretty sweet with today’s technology. Make it dark, but I understand they wont make it too dark. Oh and involve the Shredder, lets be serious, the Turtles don’t have many other great villains (at least for me, I don’t like the alien and monster plots).
July 16th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Isn’t it funny that everything needs to be dark and gritty now?
July 16th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
@krackajap
Too much “sugar” spoils the appetite.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
These days you’d have to be crazy to throw the kind of money required to make decent puppets at a TMNT flick. I love the Turtles and I loved TMNT, but I’d bet money that “live action” only refers to the world they interact in and the human characters. I’ll still see it and most likely enjoy it, though.
At least we’ll see a return of Shredder! (see the ending of TMNT for more details)
July 16th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
“These days you’d have to be crazy to throw the kind of money required to make decent puppets at a TMNT flick.”
Guillermo Del Toro does it. Granted, he is on another level, but studios that can create puppets are thirsting for this sort of thing.
I think you overestimate the cost.
I agree, I do not want to see CG turtles.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Yeah, keep it light. I like the tone of the originals but just make it more contemporary. You cant take talking mutant turtles too serious.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
i never really thought about the prospect about an eastman/laird influenced tmnt movie. now that you bring it up, i think its the best way they could reboot this excellent franchise. having a darker and more dramatic tmnt emphasizing the turtles’ group dynamic as well as the individual characterizations and how they co-exist would be fantastic. put all that in modern day new york city where diversity thrives more than it ever did, and i think you have a good foundation for a solid film concept.
the idea of bringing in the tmnt of eastman/laird lore to develop a film is quite compelling for me, as the turtles played a pivotal role in my childhood. doing what nolan did with the dark knight with the teenage mutant ninja turtles would be fucking incredible.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
never was a big fan of the turtles. Just a tad bit far fetched for my liking.
JT
http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com
July 16th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
TMNT is past it’s time
July 16th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
slow news day?
July 16th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
This franchise got too long in the tooth. They missed so many windows to really make this a very cool concept. But they always went with the “safe” tv version. Which always sucked to me. If they were smart they would have had it resemble the comic versions and hired a japanese animation house to do an animated film based on the same material. Was never a fan of the live-action films either.
The creators keep beating this horse into the ground and there isn’t anything left in it. Just let it go already.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
i’m sorry but i just choked on my coffee everytime i read that a “darker and grittier” take on a franchise could make them “better”.
yes the eastman/laird version was gritty, but is that what we really need right now? ANOTHER grim “superhero” movie?
July 16th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
TMNT can only be good if it has rape and child-killing in it.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
it doesnt say live action any where… maybe they changed it… any way i didnt like the cg one only the first live action one.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
So when is /film going to announce that Kevin Smith is going to be on the next podcast.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
So long as Vanilla Ice is back, I’m there!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
It’s “Shellacious.” Shell + Hellacious. You need to master your Shellology.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Not another TMNT movie … :(
July 20th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
More TMNT, just keep it full CGI
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Put Nolan at the helm of TMNT!
July 30th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I love the turtles and I think if they did as well as they with the first one, the second one could be cool!