New live-action ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ coming

By Mark Pollard | Published April 24, 2009

TMNT

It was only a matter of time before this franchise got a live-action reboot. The Mirage Group has greenlit development for another live-action feature film featuring the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES with a target release date set for 2011.

Mirage has partnered with producers Scott Mednick (300) and Galen Walker (TMNT) while creator Peter Laird will serve as an executive producer. Funding is being provided by Lightbox Porductions.

Madnick has already begun to look for writers and a director and is now in discussion with several “high-profile actors interested in portraying Turtles characters they loved as kids.”

Of course, I’m more interested in knowing who will be recruited as stunt doubles. The original 1990 classic featured the stunt work of Ernie Reyes Jr., Chow Yuen-mo, Nam Ip-choi, and Chiang Chi-wai. Reyes was featured in a memorable stunt acting role in THE RUNDOWN in 2003 and also played one of the fighting Cemetery Warriors in my favorite scene in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

While the original film was good for its day, there are considerable improvements that could be made to the effects, costuming and fighting prowess of the Turtles. I’d like to see former JC Stunt Team member Brad Allan choreograph the action. With his experience on effects-heavy films like HELLBOY 2, ERAGON and PETER PAN (2003) I think he would be a natural fit to take on the fighting in this film.

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  • Since there are different origins of the Turtles, I think it's difficult to take a lead of any. I don't care that much what the story is about to be, but I have to say I mostly prefer the 80s cartoon show. Still, I always wondered why the music of the 80s cartoon show was never to be heared again at any Turtles appearance. It's a shame, because the turtles are definitly popular with that tune around it. Everybody remembers them with that tune. I think it's time to give those nostalgic elements back, at least in the music.
  • ZenShiite
    It's kind of a shame that TMNT was marketed to kids and that's what skyrocketed them to fame. Because now they can't go back to the original source material and just do that. It'd easily be PG13 or R rated, and they could make it devastatingly awesome martial arts wise. With the turtles just annihilating the Foot and an all out death match with Shredder. But they have to water it down because almost no one is familiar with the original comic books or really know the tone those had and how adult they were... if you did a movie based on those explicitly you'd have parents outraged. Though it would be awesome.
  • Drunkenmasterbates
    TMNT for life!
  • Killer Meteor
    I actually prefer Part 3 over Part II. II just felt like an annoying mesh of the original dark film and the cartoon series, and Shredder is played by a much smaller and skinnier actor then in the first film. 3's kind of sweet, even if it does have a tired made-for-tv feel to it
  • slave
    the bunny samurai was called Yojimbo. Oh, I loved these films as a brat, and I look forward to this installment. BRING BACK VANILLA ICE BEEEEOOTTCH!
  • Anonymous
    all i can say is ( ninja, ninja, rap !)
  • STDthaGreat
    GO NINJA! GO NINJA! GO! GO NINJA! GO NINJA! GO!
  • danmye
    If only the Lau brothers could A.D., or maybe Sammo or Yuen Woo Ping. Less modern punch and kick and more up-to-date classic Kung Fu wil do. Maybe throw in some other arts not seen, like Kalaripayattu (India), Thang Ta (Manipur), Bokator (Cambodia), Silat (Indonesia) or Savate (France), et al. for additional eye candy!
  • Sho Nuff
    I would like to see them bring in Donnie Yen to act and do action/fight choreography, or perhaps Ong Bak's Panna Rittikra and even throw in a healthy dose of Parkour like District B13.


    This movie needs to put all action and martial arts movies to shame, and please make it at least PG-13.
  • I'm waiting for Hollywood to get this right. When it is done right it will kick a**!
  • Daniel Zelter
    More importantly, will Vanilla Ice be doing the theme song again?
  • Captain Boosh
    Reyes also had a short lived show on MTV2 called Final Fu, which was corny but actually kind of cool. It at least showed Ernie do some cool moves and show off his prowess.

    For TMNT, I would really like to just see another movie like 1 and 2 (3 was terrible). Granted the voice actors would be much older, but if they could still do the work, get them first. No Cory Feldman, then I'm not there. I liked the suits, felt there was plenty of articulation in the facial features and plenty of emotion. I really don't want a reboot that shys away from the originals, mainly because the originals were so damn good. And not just because I saw them when I was a kid, they really do hold up well.
  • pangGo
    Fuken awesome!!!! i was praying to see something like this for many years now and finally, its been answered! WHEWWWW!!!!! cant wait for this movie to come out man, dang!!!! whewwww! ya duno how happy i am to hear this awesome news man! Whewwww!!!!
  • Jazz Man
    This is awesome!
    I just gotta say that I hope Michaelangelo gets to do some ass-kicking and less goofyness.

    Either way, this live action Jazz sounds fantastic. As long as they can keep it real and smooth like Hong Kong action, then I'm there.
  • dragon (i)
    Yeah the 1st movie was pretty good back in the 90's.Looking forward to seeing this one, ha ha :-)
  • BruisedLo
    i'm excited about this... i heard the guy that did TMNT would do a sequel, but i never thought they would go back to live-action, which i love. a smart thing to do now, is to bring in the other villains, because the cartoon has a whole bunch of awesome baddies that haven't made the big screen yet.

    in part III, when they were in japan, we should of saw that bunny samurai.

    .
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