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TMNT Global Rights Picked Up By Nickelodeon/Paramount

by Alex Billington
October 21, 2009

It was announced this morning that Nickelodeon has acquired global rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise from The Mirage Group / 4Kids Entertainment for roughly $60 million. Nickelodeon also announced plans to develop a new CG-animated television series based on the popular superhero franchise, anticipated to premiere in 2012. Additionally, in partnership with Viacom's Paramount Pictures, a release of a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature film is also planned for 2012. New Line previously released the originally three live-action TMNT films and Warner Brothers released the recent CGI movie from 2007.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a property that maintains a very passionate global fan base, is rich with opportunity for a tentpole movie, and is exactly the right property for us to work together with Nickelodeon," said Adam Goodman, President, Paramount Pictures.

This is great news and I'm glad to see a very strong studio like Paramount behind the upcoming live-action movie. As we already know via previous updates from Comic-Con, the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is being written by John Fusco (Young Guns, Thunderheart, Hidalgo, The Forbidden Kingdom) and produced by Scott Mednick, Galen Walker, and original TMNT director Steve Barron. It's supposed to be a Batman Begins-like look at the origin of the Turtles. I assume these producers will still maintain creative control over the movie. Not that I don't trust Paramount, I just think it's best to leave it up to those guys!

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selrahc

hope they dont screw it up but they need to make it like the original 2, 3 doesnt count in my book.
tobi,leader of the akatsuki

no,please no.
tazz

hold on i thought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live action movie was contracted to be released at WB im not sure if im happy about this
Link1983

Nickelodeon runs the risk of completely screwing this up. I saw the darkest movie they have ever made and it was so fluffy I had to get checked for Diabetes. I only have 2 things from my childhood that are sacred to me. 1. Ghostbusters 2. Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (UK) I absolutely adored the darkness of the last movie, even though April O'neil did confuse, and I hope this retains the edge of it. I appeal to Nickelodeon to look at keep this as it should be. I would prefer the movie to have a 15 certificate. Think about it, how many teenagers do you know that don't swear? Also they are using weaponry. God forbid a foot soldier should actually lose an arm. If the turtles were real, They wouldn't just tie them up.
Django

Being that tmnt are a parody/satire of Frank Miller's whole take on the superhero genre i.e. Daredevil , etc. (mutagen cannister nearly blinds boy, lands in sewer instead, infecting ... turtles. the Hand= the Foot. Splinter = Stick (Elektra's sensei), Shredder = whatever that guy w/ the saw blades was called) I think it would be a hilarious turn of events if tmnt reboot was better than the Daredevil movie. Keep in mind, the first TMNT film was pretty much done dead seriously. Any jokes were completely secondary to its gritty new york tale of Raphael going solo, as the central character. Just bring Henson's company back to do the costumes (like they did in the first movie) and that'd already be pretty cool. Of course, this is a cash cow so - there's no telling what depths to which Nick will sink to merchandise the hell out of their new franchise.
El Hoopso

1. Selrahc - Com'on Secret od the Ooze was awesome! how could you not appreciate kick ass Keno and of course, Ultra Shredder and Vanilla Ice!
Boo Bradly

@ number 6. That was in the second movie. If you read the comment correctly, he was saying the movie needs to be like the first 2 movies. The 3rd movie does not count in his book because well... it was awful.
Tra la la la la di da

Wow...Nick. Well, they'll screw up the show, although it's already sucked for awhile so nothing new there. I'm a bit scared now about my favorite thing every from my childhood being rebooted. I have every toy from back then...yes every so, I'm very excited and very scared. lol
Akirakorn

@ number 6. It was Super Shredder, and that was Kevin Nash in the costume FYI. Seriously tho, can we bring back Ernie Reyes for fight coreography? Good team/formula he's got going for him and even his recent work isn't all wire work and BS. Good old fashion karate goodness. @ number 4. Teenagers who don't swear? Who gives a *(#%! Teenagers these days need a lesson in manners, and a good mix of humor, seriousness and fun without gore, swearing, and sex is very successfull... in making good movies. Pixar anyone? The only threat to this movie is how much they dumb it down. Oh and April isn't a Ninja and Casey Jones isn't a joke. Yasagi Yo Jimbo would be a pleaseant suprise. Get Masi Oka to voice it!
Link1983

@AkiraKorn I was pointing out a fact, I would love to agree with you kids these days need to show far more respect that the little amount they do now. I'm not talking about dumbing this picture down either. As for April O'neil, You are friends with 4 turtles who can teach you ninjitsu. Do you: A. Learn over time B. Learn over time C. Learn over time. It's called character progression. Pixar make amazing movies, I didn't like WALL-e or The Incredibles, but they wouldn't be able to pull something like this off. I just want the moody overtones and realistic manhattan (people not turtles) to be evident.
mandarin

we dont really need more of this crap.
chiefwonton

1- i agree i hope they don't screw it up. 2- they shouldn't remake the series in cg. the first one sucked. if they were smart they would some how come up with a way to recreate the early 90's series. that was classic 3- which brings me to my third leave the classic a classic and don't remake it. the generations now just wouldn't appreciate them, and the old generations will hate it because it's changed to much.
Chase

Okay so let me get this straight Nickelodon bought the ninja turtles and the new live action movie that was planned for next year is pushed back to 2012? First Marvel being sold to Disney now TMNT being sold to Nickelodon, my childhood has been officially destroyed.
Matt

I loved Nickelodeon as a kid, but I whole heartedly agree with anyone who thinks this is terrible news. A gritty return to the slightly more mature content of the original comics is just what this franchise needs and Nick is the polar opposite of that.