How would you make a live action TMNT TV series?

[ninja-zero]

I can picture TMNT going into a line of Arrowverse & Gargoyles. With a touch of IDW.

Feature the turtles: Leo, Raph, Donnie & Mikey & later Jenny (Jennika).

April & Casey be the first humans.

Splinter is sensei until Leo later on. As Splinter, he and Shredder would be reincarnations of their past lives in feudal Japan - Hamato Yoshi & Takeshi Tatsuo. Krang (like Ch'rell) would not only be prince of the Utrom, but also the Utrom Shredder in feudal era until passing onto Saki, his new apprentice, as he continues his own agenda.

Bebop & Rocksteady are Purple Dragons converted into mutants as punishment for their schemes.

Shredders:

• Krang: Utrom Shredder -> Cyber Shredder
• Takeshi Tatsuo/Oroku Saki: Human Shredder -> Super Shredder -> Demon Shredder

New mutants to serve Shredder and countering the turtles:

• Hunter Owl vs Leo
• Anglerfish vs Raph
• Chameleon vs Donnie
• Tasmanian Devil vs Mikey

Mighty Mutanimals can also appear with Old Hob as leader. Slash - alligator snapping turtle starts off a villain until later an ally. Leatherhead, Rockwell & Mondo Gecko as its members.

There'll be seasons when the turtles are finally revealed to the public, and they'll fight to gain mankind's acceptance and respect. That's when they'll face Demon Shredder & even deal with the multiverse.

[Powder]

One about The Foot. Here's an old post of mine I still stand by.

Originally Posted by Powder

Not sure about the name but this is what I want most of all, even more than a Casey Jones series.

Use the Ninja Assassin formula, to cut between the past & modern day. Show both the Foot Clan's origins (& Saki/Yohi's arcs) as well as what they're up to now, as a Yakuza crime syndicate with home base in JP (where we occasionally cut to see Karai's dealings) & an American outfit in NY led by Shredder. You can tie in themes of mysticism & spirit quests in the days of old, gun-running & business fronts in the present, & in both feature staples like extortion, training montages, espionage, etc. across the ages. You could have an episode where one of their missions is nearly thwarted by Casey Jones, another where they overtake a neighborhood previously run by Purple Dragons. Toss in the occasional turtle tease along the way with a small appearance in the season finale or something. Like perhaps an over the shoulder view of them on a roof-top, seeing The Foot for the first time, or conveying that they've been monitoring them for a while now.

No Bebop & Rocksteady, no Krang, no meddling about in matters of science, just purely Japanese ninja/Yakuza badassery.

[newfan]

Originally Posted by Powder

One about The Foot. Here's an old post of mine I still stand by.

I would be very interested in something like this too!

So far as a TMNT show, I'd still not have a massive number of mutants with like, 2 humans left.. and as for Shredder...Oroku.Saki! and not others taking up the mantle. Desired tone would be older, which I think is safe to say most would want.
Of course, I will want to see Karai too

[Andrew NDB]

Yeah, no bunches of mutants. Bottom line. Make it a huge deal when Leatherhead shows up in like season 2 or something.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Powder

One about The Foot. Here's an old post of mine I still stand by.

The general concept is so good, man. I love the idea of buffing out the backstory and only hinting or giving us small glimpses of the turtles until the finale. I think that type of long-form storytelling would work well with current television trends.

And, say the show is a success, it really gets people excited for season 2, knowing we get to know the turtles more now.

Really great idea for a grounded, modern series. I still love the more "out there" aspects of TMNT, but for television, this seems most appropriate.

Here's where I'd throw a wrench in your plan: I think IDW is the origin to adapt, for a few simple reasons:

A. It's more cohesive than the Mirage origin, and arguably easier to digest.

B. There's a lot you can do with the mystery and debate over whether they are really reincarnated or not (Alan Moore Swamp Thing, anyone?). IDW could have done more with this angle, I believe.

C. It's fresh, fun, and it works.

Just the reincarnation angle though. Nothing else lifted from IDW. I love the Mirage origin, and no, I'm not just trying to "shake things up!". I just think it'd be an awesome way to mix some of the most exciting elements of TMNT.

Anyways, love your outline either way, Powder.

[mikey0]

A CGI live action TMNT show based on all three of the FW cartoon shows or 1984 comic book series would be interesting.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

Here's where I'd throw a wrench in your plan: I think IDW is the origin to adapt, for a few simple reasons:

A. It's more cohesive than the Mirage origin, and arguably easier to digest.

B. There's a lot you can do with the mystery and debate over whether they are really reincarnated or not (Alan Moore Swamp Thing, anyone?). IDW could have done more with this angle, I believe.

C. It's fresh, fun, and it works.

Agreed. Though I don't care about C. There's a lot in the reincarnation angle that lends itself well to like a movie, or any kind of live action thing.

Plus, you get to have flashbacks to Feudal Japan.

Just the reincarnation angle though. Nothing else lifted from IDW.

Also agreed.

[ninja-zero]

If no Bebop & Rocksteady, the turtles could use new mutants to match them.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ninja-zero

If no Bebop & Rocksteady, the turtles could use new mutants to match them.

[ninja-zero]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

https://media.giphy.com/media/i1JSXl0MfeRd6/giphy.gif

Seriously!? Okay Bebop & Rocksteady, plus those four mutants I suggested.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

https://media.giphy.com/media/i1JSXl0MfeRd6/giphy.gif

Lmao.

Those are creative animal choices, but I have to agree.

[newfan]

All personal views but if I am imagining a serious, lightly dark live action series, some things just aren't going to work there. Not for me anyway.

[Dejablue]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

https://media.giphy.com/media/i1JSXl0MfeRd6/giphy.gif

Can you give any intelligent response outside of a smarmy gif you found?

[Powder]

Spoiler the giant animal pics, yo.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

These are the characters I consider every TMNT universe should have.

Donatello

Leonardo

Michelangelo

Raphael

Splinter

April O'Neil

Casey Jones

Leatherhead

Shredder (Human)

Purple Dragons

Baxter Stockman

Rat King

Triceratons

Utroms

[ninja-zero]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

Lmao.

Those are creative animal choices, but I have to agree.

How can you turn me down on something like this!?

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ninja-zero

Seriously!? Okay Bebop & Rocksteady, plus those four mutants I suggested.

That's even worse.

Originally Posted by Dejablue

Can you give any intelligent response outside of a smarmy gif you found?

How about two smarmy GIFs?





TMNT work best to me in the manner they were created... to be unique. When they start tripping over a bunch of other, different mutants who all have their own backstories and such it dilutes everything and it doesn't serve anyone. They should for the most part be alone, isolated, the last of their kind. No freaking Bebop, no Rocktsteady, no Armadillo Man or Platypus Girl.

If/when they finally run into Leatherhead, that should be a big deal. It should be like, "WHOA, another mutant is out there!" and not, "*yawn* oh look, another mutant."

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

TMNT work best to me in the manner they were created... to be unique. When they start tripping over a bunch of other, different mutants who all have their own backstories and such it dilutes everything and it doesn't serve anyone. They should for the most part be alone, isolated, the last of their kind. No freaking Bebop, no Rocktsteady, no Armadillo Man or Platypus Girl.

If/when they finally run into Leatherhead, that should be a big deal. It should be like, "WHOA, another mutant is out there!" and not, "*yawn* oh look, another mutant."

I'd say Leatherhead and Old Hob. That's it. Still keeps the mutants' numbers super low.

And a live-action TMNT series wouldn't be hard except for cost... it's called Mirage Volume 1. (Cutting out most of the wacky guest era issues.)

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

(Cutting out most of the wacky guest era issues.)

Yeah, like 80% of them for sure.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Yeah, like 80% of them for sure.

Keep the River trilogy, Sons of the Silent Age... Masks... Leatherhead, Too... am I forgetting anything good?

Also the 7 issues of Tales, naturally.