Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Thread

[Drtooth]

That's what bugs me about the second film. They have a very impressive rouge's gallery through out their different incarnations, and they just wanted the second film to be a revenge plot with the iconic villain. The fourth film was the ONLY time they ever fought one of their other comic book villains, Karai (who incidentally DOES take on the mantle of The Shredder, but not in that film). I especially like how they didn't explain her beef with the turtles and is introduced with a mutual "YOU!!"

As for the TMNT franchise, it seems that everyone just wants to be shackled to the 1980's cartoon and everything has to be based completely on that. While it would be fun to see Bebop, Rocksteady and Krang in the movie, I'd rather see something worthy of the batch of comic book movies we've seen recently. Something in the vein of the good ones Marvel puts out. Something that doesn't take itself too seriously, but doesn't have too much fun to the point where everything's utterly ridiculous. I think they can if they get a new script and a new, non-megalomaniac, egotistical, talentless producer. However, a dreadful though occurred to me. A new TMNT film demands a PG-13 rating. But I suspect Nick wants a cleaner, safer PG.

 

[Scooterforever]

As much as I would like a gritty PG-13 TMNT film based on the original comic book, it's not going to happen in a million billion years, because after the huge success of the 80's cartoon 99.9% of people think of the Turtles as being a kiddie franchise. The 80's cartoon is sort of a double-edged sword, or whatever you want to call it, in that it made the Turtles super-popular, not to mention I and millions of others likely wouldn't even know who they were without it, but the cartoon also destroyed the edginess the Turtles had in the original B&W comics. I didn't even know TMNT was originally based on a comic book until I was almost twenty, a decade and a half after obsessing over them during my childhood.

 

[robodog]

That's true. Nickelodeon's in charge now and there's no way they'd let a new Turtles film be PG-13. Any chances of a more dark and gritty film went down the tubes the second Nick bought the rights.

 

[Drtooth]

As much as I would like a gritty PG-13 TMNT film based on the original comic book, it's not going to happen in a million billion years, because after the huge success of the 80's cartoon 99.9% of people think of the Turtles as being a kiddie franchise. The 80's cartoon is sort of a double-edged sword, or whatever you want to call it, in that it made the Turtles super-popular, not to mention I and millions of others likely wouldn't even know who they were without it, but the cartoon also destroyed the edginess the Turtles had in the original B&W comics. I didn't even know TMNT was originally based on a comic book until I was almost twenty, a decade and a half after obsessing over them during my childhood.

TELL me about it! I love the cartoon and all, but that's like forever making Batman campy because more people remember the 60's series. The cartoon did a LOT of damage to the original comic's image. They're associated with Cowabunga and Pizza when the original comic turtles ate Chinese food more than anything. Not to mention the Flanderization that adults and poor marketing did to the characters. They're apparently all like Mikey's 80's personality. And I HATE the rock band... except that Pizza Power is actually pretty good. Though there is a lot they could try with PG. Speed Racer got a LOT of crap in there that would make it a PG-13 film. Spritle flipped someone off at some point. The old TMNT films were PG, but they'd clearly be PG-13 today.

That's true. Nickelodeon's in charge now and there's no way they'd let a new Turtles film be PG-13. Any chances of a more dark and gritty film went down the tubes the second Nick bought the rights.

Well, in the case of the other Nickelodeon live action cartoon film, M. Night Shamalan's completely massacred Avatar: The Last Airbender film was so dark and gritty that it forgot the show was actually funny a lot of the time.

But here's what bugged me about the TMNT movie Nick was making. I thought that it was going to be another Jimmy Neutron/Barnyard (or in the case of another Network, Clone Wars) deal where they'd make an elaborate animated theatrical movie to introduce the characters, and the series would go on from there. I'm shocked and a little disappointed that wasn't the case.

 

[robodog]

I don't know. The first one would probably be PG-13 but I don't think the other two have anything that would warrant a rating higher than PG.

As for making a Jimmy Neutron/barnyard style animated introduction movie they probably figure they'll make more money with a live action film. The animated TMNT movie didn't exactly flop but it really didn't make a lot of money either. In making it live action, Nick's probably hoping for a Transformers level success story. Say what you will about the Transformers movies but they made a LOT of cash.

 

[Drtooth]

Actually, that was the original plan at one point. This was back when they just bought it and rumors were surfacing about the series. But that's correct. They would rather a disconnected series of films that are live action, similar how the original film was completely disconnected from the cartoon series. The last TMNT movie pretty much seemed like a CGI, theatrical, Californian voiced OVA of the current cartoon series (to the point where Karai isn't formally introduced to the audience that didn't bother to follow the newer series). I really wish it didn't just have one strong week, and it wasn't clobbered by the lousy Blades of Glory film, and then destroyed by Disney's Meet the Robinsons (which is a great film in its own right).

While the Transformers films do make a lot of money (usually from people who think "Nah, the next installment's got to be better! It HAS to be!"), they're unsatisfying on a whole. I'd rather they go a different direction, even if it's still live action. Something more comic based and less nostalgia fanservice to cover up the multiple flaws in the project.

I just hope when a movie happens we don't have a Transformers situation with the merchandise. Like how Transformers Animated and Transformers Prime kept getting screwed out of merchandise because the retailers wanted movie merchandise. The TMNT Fast Forward line (which they supposedly say "sold poorly") was purposely pushed aside for Movie Merchandise, and that lead to the downfall of the toy line. And we lost a LOT of good FF toys because of it. There was a President Bishop and I think there was also a Gangster Triceriton. The new series toys are already out, and pretty good looking. I'd hate to see them kill that line. I remember they managed to make the TMNT 2 and 3 movie figures blend in with the regular action figure line.

 

[Hayley B]

I've been in such a random TMNT mood lately. Ever since I've seen the 2009(?) TMNT on the premium channels. I didn't think that movie was very good. However, I feel like watching that 2003 verison cartoon and the old 1987's. I'm aware of the new Nickelodeon verison. I'll watch it. But it already looks cheesy made.

My question is why is the story always seem like the same? Leo and Ralph (Raph?) always seem to have a fight and Ralph ends up leaving for a while.

 

[CensoredAlso]

My question is why is the story always seem like the same? Leo and Ralph (Raph?) always seem to have a fight and Ralph ends up leaving for a while.

Yeah it was brilliantly done in the original movie but now it's just getting old, lol. I mean I understand they want a new audience but I'd still tell those kids to see the original movie! Lol

And I still haven't gotten past how creepy the new turtles look. There's just something unsettling about their facial movements for some reason, lol.

 

[Drtooth]

My question is why is the story always seem like the same? Leo and Ralph (Raph?) always seem to have a fight and Ralph ends up leaving for a while.

Because it happened in the comic books, and it was integral in introducing Casey Jones. The movie was sort of based around the comic book story and so wasn't the 2k3 series. So they told that one three times. Though, I continue to think the only TMNT storyline that really got old was Shredder and Krang trying to steal alien technology from cartoonish aliens. They even brought one of those alien groups back for a sequel episode.

I don't see that any different than them telling the same story of Peter Parker getting bit by a radioactive spider or the Fantastic Four going into space and getting bombarded by cosmic radiation.

Though the new comic series has an interesting twist. Raphael was lost when they were mutating.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I don't see that any different than them telling the same story of Peter Parker getting bit by a radioactive spider or the Fantastic Four going into space and getting bombarded by cosmic radiation.

Yeah I guess that's true. Though even some Spiderman fans complained about yet another version of the origin story being put on film. I mean move on already! Lol

Though the new comic series has an interesting twist. Raphael was lost when they were mutating.

Cool, that at least is a new idea.