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Live-Action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming in 2011!

by Alex Billington
April 22, 2009

In honor of tomorrow, April 23rd, being the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, The Mirage Group (which currently owns the property) has announced (via Variety) that they are officially making another new live-action TMNT movie. We've ran rumors about this previously, but this is the first time we've heard any official confirmation. Legendary Pictures former chief marketing officer Scott Mednick is producing the project alongside Galen Walker, who produced the 2007 animated TMNT movie. The project will be a reboot focusing on the origins of the turtles, and is currently slated for 2011.

One of the original creators, Peter Laird, said the movie will remain true to the spirit of the original comic books. "The original comics created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman are some of the best source material one could hope for," said Mednick, who also executive produced the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are. While we at one time reported that this might be a CGI hybrid movie, Variety says that they'll use "face replacement technology," which will allow the turtles to be much more expressive. It sounds like they definitely won't be dusting off the old rubber suits, which is a bit unfortunate for fans like myself.

Other festivities occurring tomorrow in New York City in celebration of their 25th anniversary include turning the entire Empire State Building green for the day, full-scale recreations of various set pieces from the original movie, and a free outdoor Drive-In screening of the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie as part of the Tribeca Film Festival (more info here). There's not much other news that has been revealed regarding the project, like what studio will develop it, who is working on a screenplay, or any other information. However, you can be sure we'll let you know the moment we know more about it!

Filed under Hype, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Dan Walimaa

Awesome! I love the TMNTs, and I can't wait to see another live action feature! Cowabunga!
memphistyler

YES YES YES. hopefully this one won't be based in the future or past.... i would love to see a reboot of the series...why not?
Stevo

I can not imagine this being a bad thing.
Ken

Comics were alot darker. Two thumbs up if they pull it off!
Hey Ya

Oh this is going to be awesome!!! That animated piece of shit needs to burn. I will miss the suits though.
http://daiatlus79.blogspot.com Sean Michelin

a little correction to your story.. the rights always resided with Mirage, as the company is owned by the creators of TMNT in its original glorious comic form.. and yeah i cant wait!!! Legendary has a great track record for films these days between The Dark Knight and 300 and Superman Returns (yes i liked it!)
nem

I can't believe I'm actually excited about this. Fuck yeah and a half.
atg2040

I will be first in line!!! I Love Being A Turtle!!!!
Mondo Jay

... The movie fan in me says "why?" but the Turtles fan in me says "cowabunga!" I liked the latest CGI installment... but it'll be interesting to see the Turtles go back to live action... Hopefully this turns out for the good... ...
Curtis

fucken eh i cannot wait i loved the live action turtle movies, im a little disappointed that we wont get to see the rubber suits but im sure it will be better this way and i cannot wait!!!!
http://rtgmediaphiles.blogspot.com Dan W

SWEET! The first turtles movie will always hold a place in my heart since childhood. When Michelangelo falls through the skylight. I will never forget that scene. This new movie sounds like it could be promising.
http://www.freewebs.com/zsosahaal/index.htm Zso

Obviously they can't just dust off the old costumes, so I hope whatever they make for this new movie doesn't look absolutely awful like the live action tv show. I won't be excited until I see some costumes. And it better have Shredder as the only villain along with the Foot Clan.
Scott McHenry

Superman Returns? yeah it was alright
The Kid

this is gonna be awesom, huge turtles fan, can't wait to see what the do with it.
otic

pray for a vanilla ice cameo.
crAziemutant

Hmm...face replacement?...sounds sketchy. I loved the rubber suits. Hoped they'd bring them back. But that's not gonna happen. I'll probably check this out.
http://myspace.com/erikthecoolkid erik

although it may not be as great as the original ones,im still really fkcin excited.WOOOOOOO!
filmkid

they should bring in Bebop and Rocksteady in the reboot also with all these cartoons going to turn into movies why not have the Samurai Pizza Cats, Swat kats, Biker Mice From Mars, Mighty Max movies LOL.
Michael

If it's anything like the footage we've seen so far of "where the wild things are" I think the cgi and suits can be used in conjunction to a degree of realism and blur the lines. I am personally ecstatic to hear they are going with live action versus another completely cgi film. I didn't feel as drawn in or see the deep values instilled in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie. They tried the brotherly love path but it felt convoluted and crammed into all the over dramatic action and cheesy jokes. The first film to this day brings to the table all the things I look for in a film and it's not even R rated so that says a lot from my perspective and opinion. I laugh I cry and I thoroughly enjoy myself when I watch it. Let's pray for at least half the original spark and hopefully they won't ruin it by either trying to crowd-please or introduce too dark of a theme that it loses it's morals. Granted the original comic was essentially dark and gritty but pulling it off on the silver screen after so many years of the images emblazoned by television and films prior will be an arduous task. In any case I'll be sure to stay up to date with the progress and wish it well along the way.
Fisherr

Huge fan of the TMNT since i was a kid.I would love to see the reboot if it's pulled off right. If not i am really going to hate Hollywood.
Cardinals

Although Superman Returns was complete garbage imo, I have faith in this TMNT reboot.
Shawn

I'm thrilled and cant wait for this, I'm a huge fan and I liked almost everything the turtles have done(Except the venus de Milo garbage), but I loved the live action stuff the most. I wonder if Chris Evans is still supposed to play Casey Jones, I know an interview a while back said Peter Laird wanted Evans and Gellar to reprise their roles in their next live action movie. That would be kinda cool.
http://www.widescreenwonderland.com Widescreen Wonderland

2011 is going to be awesome!
Aaron

Casey Jones!!! In all seriousness, though, do you think they'll be able to get Vanilla Ice back to do the soundtrack? ;-P
teyhtr

COWABUNGA!!!!
Josh

How are they going to top the costumes created by Jim Hanson Studios. They were the best. They can go with CG turtles which will allow them to be much more acrobatic. Heard a Thunder Cats live action movie is in the works also. Getting serious childhood flash backs.
http://www.tomvatterott.blogspot.com TomV

Sounds like the next Doc Manhattan!
THERBLIG

No they need to build some suits for this film. No cgi suits just for acrobatics, They can totally mix the martial arts style with free running and that would help out alot. Since they mainly jumpped rooftops most of the time. I really like the skin and style of of the predator costumes, they move well and they dont look too cheesy.
Luke

Oh great, another live action Turtles movie. I always hated those movies as a kid (I loved the cartoon). Why couldn't they have made a cartoon movie? I know there's TMNT, but that's computer animated and based off the new Turtles. It's too late now for a movie that I'll like. Oh well.
Spider94

IM GONNA BE FIRST IN LINE FOR THIS MOVIE!!!!! anybody cut in front of me am gonna beat them up ok im kinda joking about the second line,no really
mike santana

hell yes its about time i love this fucking movie cowabonga lmao how eva u spell it cant wait LEO ITS HERE... MIKEY
splinter

ITS ABOUT TIME COWABUNGA!!!!!!!!!!
http://firstshowing.net john

I'm really looking forward to this movie. I've been a huge fan of the turtles and I've always wondered if they would make another live action movie of tmnt. The CGI thing sounds awsome aslong as they get it right. Good luck to all the creators of this film Can't wait
andries price

i will see tmnt movie on 2011 the stars on tmnt reboot is 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 this will be a best ninja turtle movie i ever seen i was a ninja turtle fan so i will see the new liv movie the teenage mutant ninja turtles in theatres 2011 see ya.
daniel

i totally agree with everyones push for the darker approach to this live action tmnt film. i want it and i think everyones else does! plus after the all the cartoons and the last film, they should finally do whats right for the original idea from the comics, if anyone knows the pat lee limited edition cover from the 2003 dreamwave comic series, this would be the first concept art p[iece i would use for a darker and more serious feel
Josh Bailey

I am a HUGE TMNT fan! They are the reason I started karate, and now I am teaching it. I hope that they do not screw up the ninja turtle series. I think if the movie is going to be live action, then all of it should be live action. I think that CG turtles in the real world will look dumb. The Turtle movies were awesome, especially for martial artist to have a chance to make it in the movies. So I hope that the turtles are the old school rubber suits, or at least new and improved suits, and not completely animated. Either way I will definitely go see the movie. Can't wait to see what's next for the turtles. Maybe a new turtle will appear, like a female turtle.... A lost sister. that would be cool.
Shred

Who will play the shredder?
Intergalactic WarCriminal

This is bullsh8t.......if you want to refresh the series the last thing you want to do is bring ANY FORM of a cgi aspect to it.....The original movie romanticised audiences world wide with the realism of animatronics and rubber suits.....the only thing current directors are going to do is basterdise the franchise (such as the animated movie did) with over the top computer graphics that leave everyone dissapointed and un-satisfied......CGI has done nothing but ruin movies for 2 decades......Its tried to be so real that it comes off as falsified attributes to magnificent characters........When directors and producers spent the time and effort to create these beings from real life materials, the creations came alive in a way no CGI development ever could....... I would be embarassed to hand over money for something as menial and effortless as another cgi movie... Sincerely; Dissconcerned
Tenshinoyami

OMG YAYAYAYAYAYAY i have to agree with everyone and say that i will miss the old rubber suits but it will be nice to see them have the movie back in live action. Dont get me wrong i liked the CGI movie but i still think live action is better. Cant wait!!!!!
Tanner Peters

IT BETTER BE AN ANIMATION LIKE TMNT 07 AND NOT THE PEOPLE IN SUITS THING
amibeth love

please bring venus back,oh please,please please,pretty please!she's my #1 female turtle.it's no fun only boy turtles and no girl turtle,and i want her to have her second chance,so please bring her back ppppllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeee! amibeth love the tmnt venus fan.
paul

i wonder if there going to have ernie reyes jr in this movie maybe as one of the clan soldiers or play on older keno who can team up with turtles to take on the foot clan.
Raphi-girl

OMFG! I cannot wait! Hurry up with the turtle awesomness!!!
jeff

Still No development