A couple months ago, mention of a live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature film was posted on the Playmate toys website, only to be quickly removed hours later. Fans wrote it off as a mistake, but as it turns out - it is true. Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of the Turtle franchise posted the following on the Heavy Metal forum:

“Yes, it is true. Although the CGI film did well enough to warrant a sequel, there has been much talk between Imagi and Warners to do a better “re-invention” (newest Hollywood buzzword) of the TMNT’s, in a live action film–like what was done with Batman. Back to basics, back to the origin and the intro of the Shredder, etc…there have been talks, trips to Northampton to talk to Mr Laird, and discussions with the original “first” TMNT film director Steve Barron to come back and do it right–but no official word yet…will keep you posted.”

I think a darker reinvention could be cool, especially if they went back to the original Eastman/Laird comics as inspiration (red masks and all). Although, I’m sure they would take a more kid friendly approach as they did with the computer animated film. But in this post-Dark Knight world, who knows what might be possible.

But what’s the point of having the same director come back and basically remake the earlier film? I always found the action and cinematograph of the original film lacking, and hope they find someone better than Steve Barron, who could “do it right” as Eastman says. Barron, who directed the original Turtles film (the best of the series) and Coneheads, is also responsible for some of the great music videos of the 1980’s: Take on Me and Billie Jean. Barron has recently been reduced to directing television movies you’ve never even heard of.

Also, I wonder if Vanilla Ice will be brought back to do an updated version of the Ninja Rap.

Discuss: Who should direct the live-action reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

via: ComingSoon