Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Director Jonathan Liebesman Talks WRATH OF THE TITANS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, His Julius Caesar Movie, ODYSSEUS, and More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 29th, 2012 at 1:34 pm

Opening tomorrow is director Jonathan Liebesman’s (Battle: Los Angeles) Wrath of the Titans.  In the sequel to Clash of the Titans, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is tasked with stopping the titans and saving Zeus (Liam Neeson) from Hades’ stranglehold (Ralph Fiennes). The film also stars Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Edgar Ramirez, Toby Kebbell and Danny Huston.  And for those wondering how the sequel turned out, Wrath of the Titans is what I hoped Clash of the Titans would be.  It’s got a solid story, incredible effects, and the 3D is really well done.  I’ve seen it twice (including IMAX 3D) and it’s definitely recommended.  For more on the film, here’s five clips.

At last week’s press junket in New York City, I got to sit down with Liebesman for an extended interview.  During our wide-ranging conversation we talked about how he got involved in Wrath of the Titans, his process for addressing the things that didn’t work in the first film, the visual effects, editing, the monsters, how important was it to be accurate with the mythology while still being able to take dramatic license to make the story work, and more.  In addition, Liebesman talked about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (officially titled “Ninja Turtles”), Odysseus, his untitled Julius Caesar movie with producer Basil Iwanyk, the Battle Los Angeles sequel, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to watch.

Michael Bay Confirms Live-Action TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Movie Will Be Called “NINJA TURTLES” and More

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 27th, 2012 at 7:34 am

Last week, producer Michael Bay and director Jonathan Liebesman had to wade through the overblown reaction to making the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the upcoming live-action movie originate from an “alien race” even though that’s where the infamous ooze comes from in the original comics.  Then a new spat came about from the rumor that the live-action film would simply be called “Ninja Turtles“.  On his official website, Bay has confirmed the new title, and Paramount dropped the “teenage” and the “mutant” for simplicity (read: marketing).  He also added that “The characters you all remember are exactly the same, and yes they still act like teenagers.”

I don’t mind the title change.  However, it does seem like they’re moving away from making the characters teenagers.  It looks like the Turtles will be adults who “act like teenagers.”  You know, like the adults who are losing their shit over a title change.  Hit the jump for Bay’s full quote.  Ninja Turtles is set to open on December 25, 2013.

THE COLLISION: Episode 1 – Talkin’ TMNT, PROMETHEUS, and THE HUNGER GAMES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 25th, 2012 at 7:50 pm

Earlier tonight, Adam Chitwood, Dave Trumbore, and I recorded the first episode of Collider’s new podcast, The Collision.  In our debut episode, we talked about the controversy over the live-action adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the positive response to the latest Prometheus trailers, and reviewed The Hunger Games.  We had a lot of fun talking, and we hope you enjoy listening.  Please leave your suggestions in the comments section so we can know how to make the show better.

Click here to listen or download our first episode.  Click here to add The Collision to your RSS feed.  An iTunes link will be available soon.

TOP 5: THE HUNGER GAMES Interviews, Michael Bay Turns TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES into Aliens, Teaser Trailer and Poster for COSMOPOLIS, New PROMETHEUS Trailer, WonderCon 2012 Coverage

by Jason Barr    Posted: March 24th, 2012 at 11:14 am

In this week’s opening paragraph I want to use a few lines to encourage reader feedback. The “Top 5″ weekly feature has been up and running since May of 2011 and has undergone very few presentation and/or aesthetic changes along the way. Because I’m thrilled when you, the reader, chooses to spend a few weekend minutes with me, I want to make sure that I’m consistently delivering something you look forward to checking out. That said, I invite any and all “Top 5″ feedback be e-mailed to me directly at colliderjason@gmail.com. Don’t worry, constructive criticism isn’t required. We could all use a good “you suck because you suck” sentiment to keep us honest every now and then.

Awaiting you in this week’s “Top 5″ is a slew of interviews for The Hunger Games, a recap of Michael Bay‘s campaign to turn Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into aliens so as to make them more believable (yes, you read that right), a NSFW international teaser trailer for David Cronenberg‘s Cosmopolis, a sparkling new Prometheus trailer, and all of our WonderCon 2012 coverage. In case you don’t know the drill, I’ll remind you that a brief recap and link to each follows after the jump.

Jonathan Liebesman Talks TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Reboot; Addresses “Alien Race” Comments and Hints at Motion-Capture

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 23rd, 2012 at 9:20 am

Michael Bay caused quite the hubbub the other day with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans.  He’s producing a new iteration of the lovable characters in the form of a live-action reboot directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath of the Titans).  Said hubbub was caused when Bay commented that the turtles in the reboot would be “from an alien race.” Fans were perplexed given that the word “mutant” is right in the title of the series, and “alien race” would imply that these new martial arts-inclined turtles weren’t mutated, but are actually extra terrestrial beings.

Steve got the chance to speak with Liebesman at the press junket for Wrath of the Titans earlier today and the director took the time to clear the air about his version of TMNT.  He addressed the “alien race” comments, talked about his approach to the characters, revealed whether they’re thinking CGI or practical effects to bring the turtles to life, and said when he thinks they’ll start filming and where.  Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

Michael Bay Responds to Fan Outrage over “Alien Race” TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 20th, 2012 at 8:24 am

Yesterday, some people found a new reason to dislike Michael Bay when he revealed that the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would be “from an alien race.”  Even though I liked TMNT as a kid, I wasn’t outraged as much as I was confused.  If they’re aliens, then where does the “mutant” part come in? (Matt Patches pointed out on Twitter that aliens could have been the ones to do the mutating as opposed to the ooze from the TV series and 90s movies)  I was also confused by Bay’s comment that because of the change from mutants to aliens, “kids are going to believe, one day, that these turtles actually do exist when we are done with this movie.”  I didn’t see the value in making kids believe the turtles are non-fictional characters.

But other fans were greatly upset over the change, and to those fans, Bay has a message: “Chill.”  Hit the jump for more.  The live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie will be directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles) and written by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol).  The movie is slated to open on December 25, 2013.

Michael Bay Says the Turtles in New TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Movie Will Be Aliens, Not Mutants

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 19th, 2012 at 7:57 am

My beloved franchise when I was a kid was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I was a little too late for Thundercats and too early for Power Rangers, and for this I am grateful.  In retrospect, TMNT is just as goofy, but the turtles still have a place in my heart.  Keeping this in mind, I’m trying not to get too upset over producer Michael Bay‘s recent revelation that the turtles in the upcoming live-action movie will be aliens, not mutants.  Hit the jump for what Bay had to say about the change along with my thoughts about it.

[Note that this project is separate from the new animated TV series that's airing on Nickelodeon in the fall.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is due out on December 25, 2013.]

Release Dates for TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, WORLD WAR Z and ONE SHOT

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: March 13th, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Some big movies with some big stars have had their release dates shuffled around. Here they are at a glance:

• Tom Cruise’s One Shot has moved up from February 8th, 2013 to December 21st, 2012.
• Brad Pitt’s World War Z has been pushed back until June 21st, 2013.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will open on Christmas Day, December 25th, 2013.

Hit the jump for more on each of these movies.

Jonathan Liebesman in Talks to Direct TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Reboot

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 14th, 2012 at 9:46 pm

Paramount is in development on a live-action reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  It has been a rough transition so far from comic to feature, but the studio is taking the project in an unexpected direction.  Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form of Platinum Dunes—the production company behind horror remakes such A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th—are shepherding the reboot.  The studio assigned the script to Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, the writers who most recently penned the whip-smart Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.  Now Variety reports Jonathan Liebesman is in negotiations to direct.  Liebesman directed Battle: Los Angeles, and his next project is Wrath of the Titans.  He’s the up-and-comer you call when you want a big action film.  Tone will always be tricky when your main characters are anthropomorphic turtles who know martial arts.  But if they can reinvent TMNT on the level of, say, Bay’s Transformers… well, that sounds like a blast.

PSA Sunday: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DO NOT Want Kids to Smoke Pot

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 11th, 2011 at 10:11 am

Continuing on with our PSA Sunday series, we’ve got a nice little anti-drug ad from the coolest turtles on the planet. We’re lead to believe that the heroes in a half-shell obsessed with pizza are big anti-pot advocates in this early 90s PSA. Besides the fact that this PSA proposes that pot is a huge problem in elementary schools (either that or these middle/high schoolers are just really tiny), we get a munchies-infused interjection from Michaelangelo just as the other TNMT’s are trying to deter kids from toking up.

Hit the jump to find out how to stand up to drug bullies from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Nickelodeon’s TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Voice Cast Includes Sean Astin, Jason Biggs and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: June 14th, 2011 at 10:43 am

Back in March we got our first look at Nickelodeon’s new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series by way of a cool teaser trailer and some stylish character posters. But now we finally have word on who will be voicing our heroes in a half-shell. EW reports Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) will voice the rough-around-the-edges Raphael, Jason Biggs (American Pie) will voice the leader Leonardo, Greg Cipes (Teen Titans) will voice party boy Michelangelo and TMNT series veteran Rob Paulsen will voice the intelligent Donatello (he actually voiced Raphael in the original animated series). The series is currently set to air sometime in the fall of 2012, but you can expect an exclusive first look to be debuted at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego. Hopefully we’ll have someone there to catch that debut, so stay tuned.

Paramount Sets MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL Writers to Pen TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Reboot

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 7th, 2011 at 6:54 pm

Lest you think that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot linger in development hell for eternity, Paramount has made some movement on the project. Deadline reports that the studio has tapped Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, the scribes behind Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, to write the screenplay for the new live-action flick. Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes are producing the film, and last August Iron Man screenwriters Art Marcum and Matt Holloway were set to re-write a previous draft of the reboot. With the hiring of Appelbaum and Nemec, it looks like Marcum and Holloway’s draft wasn’t exactly up to snuff either.

While it’s frustrating that it’s taking this long to get the project going, it’s promising that the powers that be are interested in getting the best script possible. Hopefully we’ll see our heroes in a half-shell back on the big screen soon. At least we’ve got the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series coming next year to Nickelodeon.

Check Out Some Cool Character Posters from Nickelodeon’s TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

by Jason Barr    Posted: March 31st, 2011 at 6:34 pm

Almost three weeks ago we brought you the first look at Nickelodeon’s forthcoming animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series. Today, we have some very cool character posters from the series that is set to hit cable television screens in 2012. Personally, I’m a fan of the harsh lines that the characters feature as it gives them a comic book feel that simultaneously emphasizes their badass nature (especially Donatello, I mean, the dude is super smart and is self-confident enough to fight with a freaking walking stick). Hit the jump to check out the posters for yourselves.

First Look at Nickelodeon’s Animated TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES TV Series

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 11th, 2011 at 2:07 pm

Jaws dropped on 90’s kids the world over when it was announced that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would be returning to television, on the network that housed every 90’s kids’ favorite lineup of phenomenal TV series: Nickelodeon. Since the announcement that Paramount would be putting together both an animated TV series and a live-action feature film, not very much in the way of details has been revealed. Well now, a teaser for the animated series has been released and gives us our first look at Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Hit the jump to check it out.

Producer Brad Fuller Gives Updates on FRIDAY THE 13TH, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, MONSTER SQUAD, and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 31st, 2011 at 11:32 am

Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller took to the Twitter machine this weekend to provide updates on Friday the 13th Part II, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, The Monster Squad, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Despite director Marcus Nispel successfully rebooting the Friday the 13th franchise back in 2009, in April 2010 Fuller tweeted that the project was dead.  Today, Fuller tweets that screenwriters “[Damian] Shannon and [Mark] swift wrote a great script. We are ready to go, when new line is ready. But as of yet, they are not ready.”  As for Nightmare 2, Fuller says there isn’t even talk of writing a new script. That’s weird because in May 2010 there was talk of Warner Bros. green-lighting at 3D sequel and Fuller said “Freddy always has a story to tell.”  In his tweeting today, Fuller explained that studios aren’t interested in R-rated horror films and want tentpole films instead.

Hit the jump for what Fuller had to say regarding Monster Squad and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

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