Discussion Paramount: Live-Action, R-Rated ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Movie in the Works

[TreIII]

This exclusive just broke from The Hollywood Reporter:

After the success of last year’s animated hit film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Paramount Pictures is keeping turtle power going by putting a new feature project into development.

This one, however, will go beyond the realm of the all-ages material the long-standing property is known for and instead go into gritty, R-rated, territory.

Paramount is developing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, adapting a popular storyline seen in the recent IDW comics, as a live-action feature with the intent of making it for an R-rating...

Live-Action, R-Rated ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Movie in the Works from Producer Walter Hamada (Exclusive)

Tyler Burton Smith, who co-wrote the upcoming action movie 'Boy Kills World,' is penning the script for this high-body count tale.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

For those who have been paying attention, this may not be but so much a surprise. Paramount expressed a desire to turn The Last Ronin into its own franchise, which includes a new ongoing comic running parallel to IDW's ongoing book, as well as the video game adaptation.

And since Mutant Mayhem is also getting both a sequel, as well as a new cartoon series. It looks like both the lighthearted and grittier aspects of the TMNT brand are looking to be in the best shape it's been in a long time.

 

[ngpdrew]

It's so odd how well Paramount has done stewarding the franchise. Between the many, many successful cartoons, the unexpected return to greatness by the video games, and the best movie since the 90's, they've been clicking on all cylinders for many years now!

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

maybe they get to kill vanilla ice in this one

 

[jirou]

bring kevin nash back

 

[chocolate_supra]

Holy shit I like the sound of this

 

[Catsylvania]

Suggestion:

Danny Devito as Krang in full makeup with his head just superimposes onto an exo-suit in the likeness of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

maybe they get to kill vanilla ice in this one

The same Vanilla Ice that flows like a harpoon daily and nightly, cooks MC’s like a pound of bacon, AND waxes chumps like a candle?! Nonsense. The kid don’t play.

 

[IsisStormDragon]

I can't say I'm personally interested in this, but I'm excited to see them trying. Hope it's good for the folks looking forward to it.

 

[Tall Valley Nerd]

when will people understand that the turtles do not work in live action

 

[Suswave]

rated so R that not even the titular teenage turtles can watch it

 

[Clov]

rated so R that not even the titular teenage turtles can watch it

The Foot Clan's going to get their ass kicked by a bunch of full grown, adult Mutant Ninja Turtles

 

[TreIII]

when will people understand that the turtles do not work in live action

Have to disagree, when the very first film did a lot of things right, and that was an independent film using suits created by Jim Henson's team.

 

[ngpdrew]

when will people understand that the turtles do not work in live action

I guess I just imagined the first movie and the bad but fun second movie!

 

[Mer.Saloon]

Oh boy, the Turtles actually can use their weapons on humans.

 

[Phosphorescent Skeleton]

Have to disagree, when the very first film did a lot of things right, and that was an independent film using suits created by Jim Henson's team.

A Golden Harvest classic

 

[Donnie]

Makes sense since the comic version was ridiculously successful, it was the only actual comic book to break into the top ten collected editions for the year in the US last year, all the rest were manga hah. I'm not super into TMNT by the way of Dark Knight Returns personally but it makes sense as another homage to Frank Miller given the series' roots and hey if it's a good movie, I'll give it a shot. Just kind of cool that TMNT is having a good moment across a few mediums right now. The current comic run that's just wrapping up has been fantastic if I can tempt anyone lol

 

[Beanstar40]

Eh, gonna be honest, r rated Tmnt seems very unnecessary, and comes across about as try hard as those Walmart dvd bargain bin Winnie the Pooh horror movies.

Edit: Thank you for the Inisghtful posts. I apologize if I came across as ignorant and I’d like to check out some more mature tmnt stories to educate myself a bit more on this topic

 

[TreIII]

Eh, gonna be honest, r rated Tmnt seems very unnecessary, and comes across about as try hard as those Walmart dvd bargain bin Winnie the Pooh horror movies.

Tell me you don't know enough about the full spectrum of a 40 year comic book franchise, without saying you don't know enough about the full spectrum of a 40 year comic book franchise.

 

[chocolate_supra]

Eh, gonna be honest, r rated Tmnt seems very unnecessary, and comes across about as try hard as those Walmart dvd bargain bin Winnie the Pooh horror movies.

I would agree if TMNT hadn't originally been a Frank Miller homage/parody.

The 90s cartoon set the vibe everyone knows for the mainstream depiction of the turtles, but they started in the dark and gritty territory before becoming cartoony and kid-friendly.

Plus this is gonna be an adaptation of an actual TMNT comic run, so nothing at all like the shock-value movies that take a children's story and twist it. This will be (potentially) the most faithful adaptation of TMNT yet.

 

[TreIII]

I would agree if TMNT hadn't originally been a Frank Miller homage/parody.

The 90s cartoon set the vibe everyone knows for the mainstream depiction of the turtles, but they started in the dark and gritty territory before becoming cartoony and kid-friendly.

Plus this is gonna be an adaptation of an actual TMNT comic run, so nothing at all like the shock-value movies that take a children's story and twist it. This will be (potentially) the most faithful adaptation of TMNT yet.

This, plus such an attitude doesn't respect that TMNT has oscillated back and forth between the "gritty" and "cartoony" vibes plenty of times over its history. Sometimes, within the same media/series!

For example, the Archie comic, started out as straight adaptation of the '87 toon, before Mirage employees were given the reigns, and it began sharing things in common with the B&W original, while still retaining its own flavor. The very first iteration of April getting trained and becoming a respectable ninja in her own right? Originally came from this book.

 

[neil]

Why did I think Last Ronin is at least 10 years old?

I saw the first TMNT movie three times at the cinema, then a ton of times on video. I don’t think it holds up that well today, but it was definitely a big success.

 

[Donnie]

Why did I think Last Ronin is at least 10 years old?

Anything that started/came out during the pandemic:

Just a weird void of time

 

[ngpdrew]

Eh, gonna be honest, r rated Tmnt seems very unnecessary, and comes across about as try hard as those Walmart dvd bargain bin Winnie the Pooh horror movies.

Mature TMNT is the default setting. Sorry!

 

[Beanstar40]

Mature TMNT is the default setting. Sorry!

You’re not wrong, I’m aware of its origins, it’s just been so heavily kid focused for so many years it seems odd to me. I’m sure with the right talent it will be cool, just an adjustment

 

[Beanstar40]

Tell me you don't know enough about the full spectrum of a 40 year comic book franchise, without saying you don't know enough about the full spectrum of a 40 year comic book franchise.

I don’t, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to come off as ignorant, what are some good other mature Tmnt stories you would recommend besides this one?

 

[TreIII]

I don’t, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to come off as ignorant, what are some good other mature Tmnt stories you would recommend besides this one?

Sure thing! In no particular order...

1) The original Mirage run still holds up well. And since The Last Ronin was at originally penned as yet another possible ending for the boys by Eastman and Laird, look no further than the original body of work to get an idea of what TLR directly cites. Even if it is now very much so its own storyline.

2) The aforementioned Archie run from a prior post of mine. After it runs through being an adaptation of the 87 toon, by issue 5, we get original stories (oft with a fairly environmental message), characters are given much more depth and some characters that were originally created for the action figure line are done much more justice here than they were in the show. It didn't get the proper ending staff wanted, but what we got is a fave among long time fans.

3) TMNT '03. A hallmark of the 4kids era on Fox Saturday mornings, this cartoon show started with the mission statement of being a clean break from the '87 series, and for a good portion of its run, it accomplished just that. Starts out being an adaptation of early Mirage, including looping in the Fugitoid/Triceraton arcs in space, while also introducing its own twists and turns. Kinda jumps the shark towards the end, with Season 6 being an entire tonal shift, but for the most part, it's solid.

4) The IDW comic. Simply put, this comic, which is about to hits its 150 issue milestone this month, before heading into its "volume 2 relaunch" era, is what I consider to be the ideal modernization of TMNT. Takes a lot of what has come before, and reinvigorates it, while introducing plenty of new characters, places and concept of its own. To say the least, a "lady ninja turtle done right" in the form of Jennika. (But don't worry Venus fans, she eventually gets added to the mix, too.)

Any one of these are fine choices to start, so, by all means, take your pick!