Ninja Turtles - 2014

[Aya_Alexa]

‘TMNT’ Reboot’s Working Title Is ‘Ninja Turtles’



It’s been a crazy week for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action franchise reboot, to say the least. Buzz surrounding the project went from being somewhat cautiously optimistic-to-positive-to being downright hostile, all thanks to producer Michael Bay’s revelation about how the Turtles are now going to be straight-up aliens, and his subsequent (condescending?) response to the backlash his comments incited.

Unfortunately, there’s more fuel to add to the fire today, as it has been discovered that the TMNT reboot is going under the working title Ninja Turtles – suggesting that the the eponymous masked warriors are not only going to be purely from another planet/dimension, but will also be missing their trademark adolescent qualities.

Bleeding Cool has “verified” that Ninja Turtles is indeed the project’s tentative title. The site also says that their sources are “not 100%” clear as to whether or not the Turtles are indeed no longer going to be teenagers (at least by extraterrestrial standards) in the TMNT reboot.
The logic behind dropping the “Teenager” aspect of TMNT, in combination with the new alien backstory, would presumably be so that it will tone down the more ridiculous (and somewhat dated) aspects of the property, resulting in more modernized variations on those comic book characters that will better fly with contemporary audiences. Hence, elements like an origin story involving radioactive ooze – and the Turtles’ “immature” behavior – have to go.

An obvious rebuttal to that idea is to point out that all of those preposterous elements working together in harmony is what ultimately endeared the TMNT series to so many people in the first place. Thus, throwing out a good chunk of the original franchise mythology will just ward off longtime fans, while not helping to convince newcomers to give this reboot a look.



Here is what Bleeding Cool has said, with regards to the motivation behind the title change to just Ninja Turtles:

It seems to be driven by marketing. Think of ‘John Carter’ and how Disney wouldn’t allow for a title with either “Princess” or “Mars”.

There’s a good argument to be made that John Carter ultimately suffered at the box office in part due to said title restrictions, as they failed to help either appease longtime fans and/or pique the interest of moviegoing masses in general. Of course, Ninja Turtles is somewhat of a different situation, seeing how that title remains… well, unique enough to give moviegoers an immediate impression as to whether or not it’s the sort of movie up their alley.

Of course we’re still a long ways away from the Christmas 2013 theatrical release date for Ninja Turtles (or whatever it ends up being titled) and there’s surely much more information yet to be revealed about the project. For that reason, we’ll refrain from saying whether this sounds like a brilliant franchise revamping – or a disaster in the making.

[Aya_Alexa]

Michael Bay Confirms the ‘TMNT’ Reboot is Titled ‘Ninja Turtles’



The latest battle in the war of words being waged between producer Michael Bay and hard-core Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans – over the impending live-action franchise reboot (which Bay’s Platinum Dunes is producing) – has to do with the project’s truncated title, Ninja Turtles.

Much like the Transformers series director did in response to the backlash over his own announcement about the Turtles being true extraterrestrials in the new movie, Bay has released yet another response to fans’ complaints about the title change-up… and much like before (if we’re being honest), his comments are likely to be interpreted as condescending by longtime TMNT fans, while also doing little to abate their anger.

Still, for what it’s worth, here is Bay’s statement about the title change to Ninja Turtles (verbatim and as originally typed):

Paramount marketing changed the name. They made the title simple. The characters you all remember are exactly the same, and yes they still act like teenagers. Everything you remember, why you liked the characters, is in the movie. This script is being developed by two very smart writers, with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles. They care VERY MUCH about making this film for the fans. Everyone on this team cares about the fans. Just give them a chance. Jonathan the director, is a major fan of the whole franchise. HE’S NOT GOING TO LET YOU DOWN.

To clarify Bay’s comment(s): the “two very smart writers” in question are Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), who are working on the project with TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and director Jonathan Liebesman. Judging by Bay’s comments, Liebesman (Battle Los Angeles, Wrath of the Titans) is indeed essentially set to helm the project right now – though, an official announcement has yet to be made.

That’s all to say: even if you tend to distrust any project featuring Bay’s involvement on principle, there is some additional worthy talent working behind the scenes to make this “Turtles as aliens who behave like teenagers” plan actually work.



As to the matter of whether tweaking the Turtles origins so that they’re not only genuine extraterrestrials (and not just “born” by alien-produced ooze), but also creatures from another world who behave like contemporary human adolescents – perhaps, by imitating them when they arrive on Earth – will actually work? That question isn’t going to be answered by this back-and-forth verbal duel ongoing between Bay and TMNT fans.

Perhaps it’s for the best we all should just take a (metaphorical) step back to wait and learn more about exactly how these various ingredients are going to be mixed together in the TMNT reboot. That also goes for Bay, who frankly comes off as too defensive in his statements about the controversy – simply providing fans with more in the way of justification for their anger.

[Aya_Alexa]

Kevin Eastman Talks ‘TMNT’ Reboot, Mo-Cap Turtles & ‘The Raid’ Influence



Many a fan was overjoyed by the initial reports that Paramount had indefinitely delayed the Michael Bay-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action reboot, Ninja Turtles, due to studio heads’ dissatisfaction with the script (in its current form).

Hopes that the project could be outright canceled were quickly dashed, though, as it was thereafter revealed that the film will simply be arriving six months later than originally planned – in order to allow the budget to be reduced some $10-20 million to around $125 million, according to a later report from Deadline.

Prior to that, TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman (who’s “officially consulting” on Ninja Turtles) participated in a discussion with TheOneRing.net about the Turtles property. Eastman responded to fan criticism over Bay’s involvement with the live-action reboot, calling him “a great director” – a statement we’re sure no one will disagree with (sarcasm alert!) – and firing back at criticisms about how Ninja Turtles will tweak the Turtles origin story - they are now full-blown extraterrestrials:

“As soon as ['TMNT' co-creator Peter Laird] and I had freedom, we took [the Turtles] into outer space and introduced the TCRI aliens [a.k.a. the Ultroms] and then we took you to the origin of the ooze, so they [the Turtles] have alien origins, they are from outer space… ['Ninja Turtles'] has to be well-grounded in Turtle history and lore, we don’t wanna take that away from the fans.”

What Eastman highlights here is a heavily-debated point of contention among the Turtle fan community: does it make a difference, if the Turtles are simply aliens (or, rather, “inter-dimensional beings”), as opposed to be being terrestrial reptiles who are affected by a mutagen created by non-Earthlings? Put mildly, it’s an issue which has stirred up the Turtles fanbase something fierce – and will continue to do so, until more general information about the Ninja Turtles project is revealed.



Eastman avoided going into depth about how the Turtles’ origin story is being tweaked for Ninja Turtles. However, he did address the possibility that Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphel could be brought to life via motion-capture performance – given the acclaim garnered by recent mo-cap characters, such as Caesar (Andy Serkis) in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in The Avengers:

“['Ninja Turtles' director Jonathan Liebesman] is a huge fan of Andy Serkis in ['Rise of the Planet of the Apes']… we’re deciding whether it’s suits with CG enhancements or full CG.”

The former is an approach similar to that used in Where the Wild Things Are, which combined Jim Henson company animatronics with computer-animated faces, in order to bring the eponymous creatures to life. Although the mix of practical and digital tools worked well for that project, it might be best for Ninja Turtles to go the mo-cap route; as Apes demonstrated, it allows non-human characters to be much more maneuverable and graceful in motion (something giant martial artist turtles call for).

Furthermore, Eastman name-dropped two martial arts flicks that are influencing the fighting style in Ninja Turtles - namely, Fist of Legend and The Raid (known as The Raid: Redemption in the U.S.). The former is a Jet Li vehicle, where the action often resembles that from a classic Kung Fu movie

Despite not being a hit at the U.S. box office, The Raid has raised the bar for martial arts choreography in film. Hence, it’s no surprise that Bay and Co. would be looking to “the cool kid” for cues on how to handle the fighting in Ninja Turtles.

If nothing else, Liebesman has proven to be a competent (if unremarkable?) action movie director, with Wrath of the Titans marking a noticeable improvement over his directing work on Battle Los Angeles. Just don’t expect his Ninja Turtles reboot to be so gritty and sophisticated (nor “edgy” and violent) as the Raid comparison indicates.

Ninja Turtles is currently scheduled to open in theaters around the U.S. on May 16th, 2014.

[CaptainCharisma]

excited for this one, kumpleto ko tong Ninja Turtles toys nung kabataan ko

[Aya_Alexa]

‘Ninja Turtles’ Villains and Synopsis Revealed?



Paramount moved back its planned reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise (retitled Ninja Turtles) to Summer 2014, in order to undergo additional development and script rewrites. The official reason given for the delay is budget concerns – which is understandable, in the aftermath of rapidly-rising costs for the studio’s World War Z adaptation and G.I. Joe sequel (due to reshoots, 3D post-conversion, etc.).

However, as any member of the movie blogosphere worth their salt can tell you: producer Michael Bay’s public confirmation that the Turtles are now aliens from another world/dimension – and the massive outcry from fans in response – must have contributed to the project being bumped back (to some degree).

Latino Review’s El Mayimbe reportedly got his hands on a Ninja Turtles script draft penned by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), before the news about release date delays and rewrites broke. Mayimbe is renowned as a credible source of information (see: his multiple Marvel movie scoops), so it’s surprising that his Twitter comments about Ninja Turtles haven’t been picked up by most sites (hat tip to CBM).

Skimming through [the 'Ninja Turtles' script], I see KRANG and THE TECHNODROME… I also see BEBOP and ROCKSTEADY and see something called DIMENSION X.

Needless to say: those names definitely mean something to TMNT fans.



The Turtles franchise as a whole has been heavier on sci-fi elements in recent years, and Bay’s comments about the alien origin storyline suggested that Ninja Turtles will not buck that trend. Moreover, that line of thought fits with previous rumors that Krang could be the film’s central villain – and explains the presence of both Dimension X (Krang’s home) and his Technodrome subterranean fortress.

Similarly, it stands to reason: in a movie where extraterrestrials can resemble anthropomorphic reptiles, the origin story for Bebop and Rocksteady could easily be tweaked so that the pair are also aliens from another world (traditionally, the duo are street gang thugs, mutated into a human warthog and rhinoceros by the Shredder). It’s also possible the two will simply be monsters created by Krang.

That would also fit with a Ninja Turtles synopsis currently making the rounds (which CBM claims has been confirmed as legit by “a very reliable source”):

After their planet’s destruction, four turtle-like alien warriors and their master come to Earth, where they join forces with reporter April O’Neil to prevent the extradimensional conqueror Krang from enslaving the human race.

Bear in mind: that logline could be the handiwork of someone unaffiliated with the Ninja Turtles project, who has connected the dots between the Krang rumors and Turtles’ re-imagined origin story (translation: take it with a grain of salt).



The divisive issue with Ninja Turtles relates to the decision to take the Turtles “into outer space” (as TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman has put it). Many fans seem to feel it’s an unnecessary change to the series mythos, motivated foremost by a desire to cash in on Hollywood’s extraterrestrial fad. It could conceivably make the characters more palpable to moviegoers beyond the fanbase – or, conversely, fail in that attempt, and thus leave just about everyone unsatisfied.

Ninja Turtles is being actively reshaped, so the final film could take on a different form than that from the earliest stages of development (for better or worse).

[Aya_Alexa]

Co-Creator Kevin Eastman Says Jonathan Liebesman’s NINJA TURTLES Reboot Is Easily the Best One Yet



The upcoming Michael Bay-produced reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has brushed up quite a bit of passionate discussion regarding the finer points of turtle mutation, but the comic book series co-creator Kevin Eastman is put those reservations at bay (pun intended). Though Bay’s comments about the Turtles coming from an alien race in this new iteration got many a Ninja Turtles fans’ undergarments in a twist, director Jonathan Liebesman shot back that whatever changes they were making to the source material were coming from Eastman himself:

“Whatever mythology we’re building on or expanding is coming from that guy, Kevin Eastman’s head, who created the Turtles in the first place. And so everything will tie in with the mythology; fans will be extremely excited with what we’re coming up with.”

Now Eastman himself has spoken a bit about the property, confidently proclaiming that Ninja Turtles is the best adaptation of the comics yet, despite its glaring lack of Vanilla Ice. Hit the jump for more from Eastman.

The latest word on the development of the Ninja Turtles reboot came last month, when Paramount decided to delay the project in order to address script issues. The release was pushed back from December 2013 to May 2014, but who knows if it’ll even make that date when all is said and done. Nevertheless, Eastman seems extremely optimistic about the film, comparing it to a couple of recent success in its fighting style and visual effects angle during an interview with MTV:

“From what I’ve seen, it’s easily the best Turtle movie yet. We’re talking Raid: Redemption-style fight scenes; we’re talking about epic Rise of the Planet of the Apes sort of effects.”

Eastman went on to address the changes made to his source material, saying he has no problem with people wanting to put their own stamp on the characters:

“I know that Michael and his group really like [the changes] and that Paramount was supportive of that, so I think that it’s great. I grew up reading Captain America and The Avengers and all that stuff, and over the course of the comic book history, since Avengers has been around, how many times has it been reinvented, reformatted, restructured, replatformed?”

As I said, development has been stalled for the time being, so depending on how long it takes the writers to get the script into tip-top shape, it may be a while until we see the reboot on the big screen. For now, die-hard fans of the comic books can take or leave Eastman’s comments concerning the changes being made to the source material. Go Ninja, Go Ninja, GO!

[Aya_Alexa]

Kevin Eastman: ‘Ninja Turtles’ is Looking to ‘The Avengers’ For Inspiration



To say that this year has been rough for the Ninja Turtles reboot (in terms of the general fan outlook) would be a pretty sizable understatement. Producer Michael Bay’s revelation that the Turtles are being retrofitted with a pure extraterrestrial origin set off an avalanche of controversy, which only seemed to gain momentum with every subsequent public statement issued by the Transformers director.

Things quieted down a bit once the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was pushed back from Christmas 2013 to a Summer 2014 release date. However, that period of peace didn’t last, as an old script draft was leaked online – setting fans (not to mention, TMNT co-creator Peter Laird) on the warpath again, inciting Bay to once more fiercely defend the project.

However, Bay hasn’t been alone in his efforts, as TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman (who is serving in a creative consultant capacity) has likewise been attempting to put a positive spin on the situation – be it the changes to the Turtles origins or the substantial release delay, which insiders claimed was due to studio executives being dissatisfied with the script. Eastman continued to assert his commitment to Ninja Turtles recently, telling NBC:

“Three years ago, I started working on the John Fusco version, which was this awesome, awesome, awesome ‘Batman Begins’ kind of take on the first movie. It was really interesting, but it was maybe a little too edgy for what Paramount wanted. It went through a couple of different versions before Michael Bay took it over and brought in Jonathan Liebesman (‘Wrath of the Titans,’ ‘Battle Los Angeles’) to direct.”

Liebesman has indeed proven to be a competent director, when it comes to how he handles gritty blockbusters like Battle Los Angeles or pop cinema like Wrath of the Titans (no more, but no less either). However, Eastman’s overall strategy for hyping Ninja Turtles is less about selling the personnel working behind the scenes, more focused on name-dropping other popular titles. That is, either those which have overcome their B-movie origins or embraced their pulpy origins – which, he says, are very much the role models for Ninja Turtles:

“Jonathan Liebesman is going to make a great film,” he said. “From what I’ve seen of the script, it’s fantastic. Michael Bay has made some great and intense movies. We’re talking about being inspired by movies like ‘The Avengers’ for scope and roots origin and ‘The Raid: Redemption’ for fight scenes and [‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’] as far as computer-quality style.”

That Eastman would identify Ninja Turtle‘s guiding influences as the exhilarating action sequences of the critically-acclaimed The Raid: Redemption (read our review), envelope-pushing motion-capture effects from Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and The Avengers on general principle – well, it’s exactly what you would expect, coming from someone who’s eager to counter the overwhelming negative press the project has been generating (though, that doesn’t mean there aren’t kernels of truth in these claims, either).

Here’s another statement from Eastman on Ninja Turtles, which aims to further put the backstory alterations and Avengers inspiration into a greater historical context (via Examiner):

“I like to answer this by basically telling the fans first and foremost not to worry, this will be a great TMNT film. Much like many thirty year old concepts, the TMNT’s have been re-invented a number of times, some were stronger than others, but if you look at what Viacom/Nickelodeon has done/allowed to happen with the new TMNT animated TV series, and the new IDW comic series, each has a slightly new and refreshed take on the “core concept,” the new film with be the same, a film “well placed” in the TMNT lore the fans will enjoy. If we learned nothing else from one of my favorite Comic Book Based Films, “The Avengers,” that there’s a lot to be said about never forgetting that core concept and core fan-base.”

To be fair, what Eastman’s talking about here is quite reasonable; though, on the other hand, just because comic book properties are always being re-invented, that doesn’t mean every new iteration is created equal. Still, as much as some fans will hate to hear it, the lack of concrete details about Ninja Turtles in its current form means one thing: the jury’s going to be out for a while now, with regard to whether this will be a brilliant rendition of the TMNT franchise (or just a big fat failure).

Ninja Turtles opens in theaters on May 16th, 2014.

[PoachedPig]

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Sana panindigan lang nila ang mga sinasabi nila!

Basta I still hate the fact that...

[MrSinister]

The First ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ Is Cast: Alan Ritchson Is Raphael

Producer Michael Bay and director Jonathan Liebesman have cast the first member the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Alan Ritchson, who plays Gloss in the upcoming The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and starred in the show Blue Mountain State, will portray the red-masked Raphael. The film isn’t going to put actors in suits like the original movies, however. This time they’ll be motion captured and realized as CGI in real environments.

Ritchson is the first of four lead roles cast to go along with Megan Fox as TV reporter/Turtle friend April O’Neil.