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Rumor: Return of the Live Action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?!

by Alex Billington
July 16, 2008

I will gladly admit that I am an enormous fan of the original two live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies from 1990 and 1991 respectively. My childhood revolved around playing with Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Raphael action figures and pretending April O'Neil was my girlfriend (I'm not ashamed to admit it)! Alas, when the TMNT animated movie came out last year, I was one of the first in line to see it in theaters. Although I enjoyed it, it didn't live up to my childhood memories. Now an interesting rumor has popped up, via SlashFilm, that a live-action film is in the works due to the success of that film. I didn't think it did that well (it made $54 million at the box office), but apparently Mirage is already working on a live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie for 2010.

The rumor originates from a fairly legitimate place. The Playmate Toys website has added an update that mentions that they're working on a new TMNT movie for 2010. The quote on SlashFilm actually listed them saying "Mirage Licensing and Imagi Studios have begun work on a new live-action TMNT film for 2010." However, if you go to the website now, it only says "Mirage Licensing is in negotiation with several companies about a new TMNT movie for release in 2010." Obviously they changed this when news began to spread, but I have a good feeling that they want to try and get a live-action movie made. The last one, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time from 1993, was a piss poor excuse of sequel, but I think the "mild" success of TMNT showed them that there still are plenty of Turtles fans (like myself) out there!

Given Turtles in Time was an awful movie and TMNT was great, maybe they've found the right producers to make sure that a fourth one would turn out awesome. Just look at Terminator Salvation, that actually looks pretty damn good for a franchise that came back from the dead and is currently working on its fourth. I think I'm just excited for this because I'm such a huge Turtles fan and could watch any of the first two, especially Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, at any minute during any day of the damn week. I really don't know if it will turn out any good, especially considering I'm no longer an 8-year-old kid, but who knows? For the sake of discussion - what is your favorite TMNT character: Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, or Raphael?

Filed under Discuss, Movie News, Rumors

From around the web:

bat

alright!!!
Matt Suhu

Michaelangelo
Daniel

I am definitely looking forward to number 4, as long as they have found someone with tremendous love and respect for the source material and the fans. I loved the first one, one of the best comic adaptations, IMO. Second movie was ok, the third was a turd. btw, my favorite Turtle is Leonardo, he is simply the coolest Turtle of the group for me. I've also heard talk of using Sarah Michell Gellar and Chris Evans as the live action versions of April and Casey. I think they could be great.
Neal

Leonardo!!!!
darrin

i loved the films from back in the day so im on board but we all know the turtles would be cgi.
Great

I DIDNT EVEN READ THE ARTICLE BUT HELL THE FUCK YEAH! I posted a comment about this on one of the Hellboy blogs! SOMEONE READ MY FREAKIN MIND!!!
Great

Oh, and Mickey is the best one. Raplh...well, he always gets jumped. Donni, he is the college roommate who always is on his computer... and Leo- well, we all gotta have some kind of big brother. I'm excited...
Will S. (Co. Springs)

/orgasm.
Justin

Hopefully it's like the first one. The second one was too kiddy for me, *even though i myself was a kid at the time* and the third one was just plain awful. The first was one of the best comic adaptations I've seen. It fit TMNT and Raphael #1 to a T. Read those 2 comics, you can practically envision the whole movie while you're reading those. BTW, Peter Laird killed the TMNT franchise...Eastman was the man, and as soon as he left, it went downhill.
Garrett.king

YES! BTW..can't believe so many people are happy about this. AWESOME! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BE TRUE. AWESOME...GONNA READ THE ARTICLE NOW.. ....I'm gonna get geeky for a moment and reminisce. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was one of the first films I saw as a child. I don't remember how old I was, but I know I was really young. I saw all of them in theater, though have no recollection of Secret of the Ooze in theater, which is a bummer. I absolutely loved TMNT and thought that it would've been even better as a live action. Raph finally fighting Leo was pretty exciting. I really would love it to be live action, but if not I'll still watching. now here's the geeky part. I used to find Leo sort of annoying, and Raph too hardcore to handle when I was a kid. but Mikey and Donny always stood out to me. but right now, as it stands, I love all of them..because they represent each part of me as a person...but... MIKEY ALL THE WAY! hehe. peace.
http://www.tnrlive.com Viper

Raphael is definitely my favorite. He's such a badass with a seldom seen soft side he tries desperately to hide. He also wears my favorite color. Hope this movie comes to fruition. As long as the suits look like the originals and not like the live-action TV series or some new stupid looking ones.
http://brielie.blogspot.com Jaco

The problem with the previous movies is that they were for a way younger audience. The original comics were intended for a mature audience. If you look at the original graphic novels there is blood splattered all over the place. Look at the Batman franchise for instance; Before Batman Returns we had a handful of Batman movies but only one of them stayed closest/true to the original nature & that was Tim Burton's version. The 1st Turtles movies was the best, no doubt about it, TMNT was the worst, from a personal point of view purely as I couldn't stomach the human side of the turtles. They are originally more barbaric. So now we have to hope that the studios & indirectly the MPAA set their sights slightly higher for a change & follow Christopher Nolan by giving us a darker themed story & ruthless hero's! Oh...and spruce up the Ninjutsu a little!!
http://blog.myspace.com/shero_rauf Shero

Rumor !!!! Then there is Rumor that the next Batman movie will be with Hulk , Iron Man , Hellboy .. not forgetting Transformers too .
TCox

TMNT was a great flick. They were able to do so much more with the CGI than they could do in a live action movie. The plot was really out there, but they did such a good job with the characterizations that it was easy to overlook. The original 1990 live action film is still a favorite of mine. I didn't care much for either of the sequels. Another live action movie could be cool if they update the characters.
DDOT3

#3 wrong info, sarah michelle gellar and chris evans were casey and april in TMNT...
tw

fiiiiiiiiiiiinally, i fucking loved the first two movies, i seriously must have seen those like 200 times
chris

About time!!! All us twenty somethins and thirty somethins would love to see our childhood heroes git the correct treatment they deserve. I've been hoping or this one for a while. I hope they follow suit and take the direction all of the current comic book movies are taking. And of course the kids will love it too. On another note: When I was really young I used to buy the original comics (before they were popular) not knowing they would blow up one day. And being the stupid kid I was ended up losing them forever. Damn!! If anyone can remember they're bandana thingees were all red. And Leo's my favorite.
steven

Hell Yeah!!!!!!! Rising shells!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!! Well now they have put some sense into their thinking! Should have done this thinking before making the animation movie.. Any the animation was ookey... Not bad for a starter after a long time..
Daniel

@15 Right info, just should have made myself clearer. Peter Laird said in a Newsaram article that "One thing that I would love to see happen is to try to get Sarah Michelle Gellar and Chris Evans to reprise those roles in a sequel... but as live-action versions of April and Casey."
http://www.tnrlive.com Viper

#17 Now that you mention it I do remember their bandanas being all red. I decided to check out my comic collection and I actually have issues 59, 60, and 61 from that original first volume of comics. Too bad they're parts 10, 11 and 12 of a story arc. Guess I need to see about finding the rest of that story. Issue #59 with page examples: http://www.ninjaturtles.com/comics/mirage/volume01/59/59.htm
chris

Sarah Michelle and Chris Evans! That would be dope!
http://myspace.com/smokestackdesign ZSpang

I think we should start a petition right now to have COry Feldman return as the voice of Donatello. I thought that it fit Donny well. LETS DO IT!
Conrad

Leonardo, always been. Always will be. Number 21, are you joking?
Curtis

I loved the live action turtles movies i used to watch them all the time when i was a kid, i would love to see a new live action film starring the turtles. TMNT was alright nothing like the live action films were, im ready for turtles to hit the big screen again.
alex

CAWABUNGA!!!!!!!!!!
serotonin

Don't forget that TMNT has had a new animated show for a few years. The animated movie from a year or two ago was likely more in response to that then cashing in on fans from 20 years ago.
Lolly

There is a God! I WORSHIPPED these movies as a kid and still to this day do! I think this movie could generate a cult following from the people who watched it as kids as well as gain a new, younger audience! Oh, and I'm a Donni freak! Who doesn't love the smart guy!? I have to admit that Ralph tough guy I'm-angry-and-misunderstood attitude always won me over too! I hope they cast this right, that's really the one thing I'm worried about. That and whether they'll get too caught up in adding tons of special affects and not stick to the simplistic yet mind blowing costumes used in the original. Either way, whether it sucks or not tons of wanna-be-kiddies-again are going to flock to the theaters!
Chris

I personally would love a live action, didn't care for TMNT all that much; purely based on the CGI. I rarely like animated films, usually the ones I do appreciate are of characters who don't exist outside of that medium, back on track... If they did a live action slightly darker theme, I would love to see Slash, and not the moronic version, I want the self-sacrificing Slash from the comics. Use the same suits from the original, just make sure none of the wires show this time heh -peace ps I cannot choose a favorite, they are equally respected by me lol
Mondo Jay

... Mikey all the way... .. And personally, I think that it won't be live action... The director of the last one (TMNT) gave multiple reasons why doing a live action one is a bad idea... that being said I think this will just be a sequel to the lst Turtle film made... ...
http://www.tnrlive.com Viper

If they stay with animated it'll probably be TMNT 2: Return of The Shredder or something. Wasn't there a reference at the end of TMNT that acted as a wink towards The Shredder being *gasp* alive?
j_money

Raph was the best. The Bo staff was my favorite weapon, but Raph's sarcasm on the show and Bad @ss-ness in the movie made him my favorite.
chris

#23 no i'm not joking, Sarah Michelle is smoking hot even though her choice in movie roles suck. And Chris Evans is cool ever since Fantastic Four and Sunshine. And I meant to say Donatello is my favorite not Leo ( I got them mixed up.) For the record, alot of times I am joking. No I'm not. Ok I'm kidding. Or am I?
Kris

Michelangelo is the best in my mind. And if there's a new live action movie I am SO there and SO excited!!!! TMNT I and II were hands down the best! I loved them when I was 8, I'm now 22 and I still watch them fairly regularly. TMNT III wasn't that great but at least it was live action. TMNT IV was fun...but I SO missed the Henson Workshop masterpieces of our favorite bi-pedal adolescent ninja terrapins. I say TMNT V should no doubt be live action, bring back the costumes! It would be boss! Also considering the new toon was great ('til the went "Fast Forward" thank goodness their bringing 'em back to where they belong this fall...) following closely to the original comics and poking fun at the original toon, it's hardcore! If only the new movie captures the greatness of the original and new toon, as well as the original two movies...it would be a perfect movie made in heaven in my mind! Go green machine!!!
http://rogers@yahoo.com Tony

I hope Imagi brings back Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen and Townsend Coleman to do the voices of the Turtles! If not, I could see James Arnold Taylor, Mitchell Whitfield, Nolan North and Mikey Kelly coming back! I can't stand the 4kids voice actors doing the voices for the 4kids version! In the 4kids version, Leonardo sounds like a cry baby, Donatello sounds like kid, Raphael sounds like a cold hearted villain and Michaelangelo sounds like whiny b---h! Just saying.
Jody Percy

Keep it 80's Style.
GundamAngel

Okay, I've gotta get this off my chest....How, I ask you, HOW can you think the animated TMNT movie was good? The story line was WAY out there, and I'm for out there movies. I could nit pick at it, but I won't. Everyone has thier likes and dislikes for movies. That one is not one of mine. but a new live action TMNT movie would, in a word, ROCK. The first one is a classic and should be in every movie collection on Earth. If they fallow along the same lines as that one then the movie will be a hit. Stick to the comic, or even the new show that's out (before the fast forward). That would be a great movie.
Teek

as long as they grow some sense and start making them pg-13 it will be great... i'm sick of all this pg crap when it comes to the turtles... and i know some of you are like "well it was a childrens cartoon series..." and to that i say... so was batman, superman, x-men, spiderman, ironman, and every other comic book... and yes the turles were on comics before the 90's cartoon.... and if any of you read them you would have found that they were very violent for their times... more violent than any spiderman, superman or xmen comic EVER!!! it's not even a big jump, but with pg13 we can atleast see some death scenes worth the $8 ticket... i remember looking like a retard being the only adult watching the 2007 on release day... and i was actually embarrassed b/c the movie was .... just awful...
http://www.firstshowing.net./2008/07/16 lee brandin

hey, are ya'll really gonna to be starting an tmnt 5 2010 movie? says, me,brandin lee detroy from desoto, texas, this i gotta see,.... tell me when it comes, please, thanks,....... thanks for your support,.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love you guys, tell the turtles i said hello,.....
demario herrod

im happy they doing the live action on this movie is going to be the best movie. i just can't wait man all yall turtles fans they coming back baby. this movie got me happy i can't wait until it comes out. tell the turtles i said hello and thank you.
corey

@14 I agree with you!
andries price

im glad chris pine as leonardo brad pitt as rapheal robbie amell as donatello nick palatas as michealengo kate melton as venus jet li as the shredder htis will be a good ninja turtle movie so iglad im a ninja turtle fan so i will see the new teenage mutant ninja turtles movie in theatres 2011 see ya.
http://www.hangtoughrecords.com Doc Elliot

Agrees with 35 100%!! THIS NEEDS TO BE AN 80's TIME PIECE! And DARK DARK DARK, rated R!!
DV5500

Michelangelo because of the comic releif. I mean the turtles were always funny as a group, but he had a certain way about him. Yet Raph was definately the most badass!
DV5500

Also, yes to 42!!! They need to make it dark and bloody, like the original comic books. Forget to cute cartoony versions (however awesome they may be in their own way) this movie needs to be for the older turtle fans who want to see more ninja, less humor (still include humor, just more ninja)
Donny

I'm hoping the movie will be like the original movie rather than the second, I like the drama and anger and darkness that the first had. The second was awesome but had a lot more comedy, which isnt terrible but I'd rather have the darkness.
Joku

Raphael by far the toughest n coolest ninja turtle, I really hope they go the dark knight way.