Another movie from Platinum Dunes in the works - new writer hired

[Vicky82]

As they wan't to start production later this year and we are now in mid April, I guess we will hear more info pretty soon.

[Autbot_Benz]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

I'm excited to hear more info about this.

I think it might just appeal to the gambling-loving side of my personality. Odds are stacked in the favor of this movie totally sucking, but there's just a small enough chance, based on feedback, that the film will be good. Makes it fun to keep an eye on and root for.

Plus, it's always fascinating to see what happens to a franchise you love.

They need to Bumblebee the TMNT Movies get travis knight or someone who actually cares about the turtle franchise to direct.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

They need to Bumblebee the TMNT Movies get travis knight or someone who actually cares about the turtle franchise to direct.

I generally agree with this sentiment, even though Bumblebee wasn't the huge improvement for me, that it seemed to be for many others. I did like the lead.

To me the key ingredient, right in front of their noses, is to follow the source material.

Look Platinum Dunes, you're working with a comicbook franchise. Now, what is the most successful Movie studio ever doing with their comicbook franchise?? They're adapting and modernizing the comics. Giving fans something new and robust, but using the source material as a compass.

Look again. Which TMNT movie has been the most successful? The one that is most faithful to the source material. Even the figures based on said film are flying off shelves. Huh, look at that.

Wake up, Platinum Dunes. You are sitting on a gold mine and it's 1949.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Vicky82

As they wan't to start production later this year and we are now in mid April, I guess we will hear more info pretty soon.

Unless they're terrified of us after the criticism with the last films. The kind that made them change the title, Shredder, etc.


I do worry that it might keep them from wanting to share much. But keeping things like the 2014 designs under wraps for so long did not help anything because people really didn't have sufficient times to at least get used to it first and accept it for what it is. If they keep a lot of this one quiet for a long time, for their own sake they better at least be making good decisions.

[The-Shredder]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Unless they're terrified of us after the criticism with the last films. The kind that made them change the title, Shredder, etc.


I do worry that it might keep them from wanting to share much. But keeping things like the 2014 designs under wraps for so long did not help anything because people really didn't have sufficient times to at least get used to it first and accept it for what it is. If they keep a lot of this one quiet for a long time, for their own sake they better at least be making good decisions.

If I remember correctly, didn't our first look at the 2014 design come from a leaked picture of a Michelangelo Halloween costume?

[Leo656]

Yep! And a lot of folks were like, "Nahhhh, it can't look THAT bad"... and then it was even worse.

Viacom doesn't "get it" and never will. They wanna shoot this year, with not even a whisper about a script or a cast. Everyone in Hollywood is a blabbermouth; we'd have heard SOMEthing if there was anything going on. If they do it at all, it's gonna be a slapdash rush-job with the bare minimum of effort. It's very possible that it could turn out even worse than the last two, hard as it is to believe. For one thing, we know for a fact they're not gonna spend anywhere near as much money. For a CGI-heavy action flick, that's bad.

It baffles me why anyone chooses to be hopeful about the future of TMNT films. The game is f*cking OVER, folks. It's not even me being cynical, it's simple analysis of the basic bare facts that exist. Hoping for anything less than total schlock from a live-action TMNT film ever again is an exercise in frustration. It's painful to watch. "But maybe....!" No. Stop that. They CAN'T make a good TMNT movie. They don't know how, and they're not interested.

"Submit. All is One in Darkseid. Anti-Life Justifies my Hate."

[IndigoErth]

Very true. Definitely not a great way to make a first impression, those 2014 costume masks were pretty bad. (I own a 2016 Leo one sold by Spirit Halloween shop that was comparatively a vast improvement in likeness.)


Yeah, the love of these guys just prevents me from letting go of all hope that someday someone will do them justice once more... Hope in vain as it may be at this particular period of time.

[Leo656]

I love 'em enough to NOT wanna see people keep flogging the corpse into a mushy puddle for the sake of nostalgia and 'Member Berries, I'll tell ya that for free.

As Master Splinter might say, "There is great wisdom in knowing when to leave some things in the past."

[IndigoErth]

Keeping vague hope and wanting just anything with TMNT stamped on it be not the same thing.

[Leo656]

"Hope" is like "Potential": A silly, made-up word people use to describe things that haven't happened yet, and may never happen at all. Ultimately empty, with no actual basis in reality. Much in common with "Thoughts And Prayers", and ultimately, about as useful.

There is only "What Is", and across the street from that, "What We Would Like It To Be." But sadly, those roads rarely, if ever, converge. That's Life.

And there's today's Moment Of Zen!
---------

I do understand to a point why some people cling to hope, but I personally have never been a believer in it, just in general. I'm a huge, huge fan of Reality, warts and all, as ugly and cold as it can be. But you can't escape it, it's always there. That's why every cynic tells the same joke: "I'm not a Cynic, I'm a Realist". Although it's less a "joke" and more a statement of objective fact.

I'm just a big, big believer in accepting What Is. It seems like slow torture to exist any differently, frankly. All the constant letdowns and disappointment that come with "optimism". "It'll be better next time". And then it's usually not. Seems depressing and soul-crushing. I find it much easier to simply expect the worst, be right most of the time, and once in a great while be pleasantly surprised. Seems healthier just in general.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I do understand to a point why some people cling to hope, but I personally have never been a believer in it, just in general. I'm a huge, huge fan of Reality, warts and all, as ugly and cold as it can be. But you can't escape it, it's always there. That's why every cynic tells the same joke: "I'm not a Cynic, I'm a Realist". Although it's less a "joke" and more a statement of objective fact.

I'm just a big, big believer in accepting What Is. It seems like slow torture to exist any differently, frankly. All the constant letdowns and disappointment that come with "optimism". "It'll be better next time". And then it's usually not. Seems depressing and soul-crushing. I find it much easier to simply expect the worst, be right most of the time, and once in a great while be pleasantly surprised. Seems healthier just in general.

100% agreement with this.

[Leo656]

Do people constantly accuse you of being miserable when you're not? I get that a lot.

I'm generally in a pretty great mood; I just have a life with a lot less disappointment than the average bear on account of I generally keep my expectations low. But for some reason people think that makes you miserable.

It doesn't, it's rather the opposite: protecting oneself from disappointment by way of applying a rudimentary understanding of statistics. That's not "misery", it's Math. You can be a cynic and still be generally upbeat; it just means you can smell bullsh*t from a mile away and don't fall for much.

I'unno, just curious if people come at you the way they sometimes come at me. I generally have a good time, and enjoy most things in life, but those other folks sure whine a lot about various things not living up to expectations, whereas I generally just go "Eh". I can only tell 'em to lower those expectations so many times, y'know? "I just thought it would be better." "Well who the hell gave you that idea, you silly goose?"

You and me should totally hit up a Hooters one day. The music will be too loud and the wings barely above-average. And y'know... that's Okay.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Do people constantly accuse you of being miserable when you're not? I get that a lot.

I'm generally in a pretty great mood; I just have a life with a lot less disappointment than the average bear on account of I generally keep my expectations low. But for some reason people think that makes you miserable.

It doesn't, it's rather the opposite: protecting oneself from disappointment by way of applying a rudimentary understanding of statistics. That's not "misery", it's Math. You can be a cynic and still be generally upbeat; it just means you can smell bullsh*t from a mile away and don't fall for much.

I'unno, just curious if people come at you the way they sometimes come at me. I generally have a good time, and enjoy most things in life, but those other folks sure whine a lot about various things not living up to expectations, whereas I generally just go "Eh". I can only tell 'em to lower those expectations so many times, y'know? "I just thought it would be better." "Well who the hell gave you that idea, you silly goose?"

You and me should totally hit up a Hooters one day. The music will be too loud and the wings barely above-average. And y'know... that's Okay.

I'm constantly described as the most cheerful pessimist people know. Friends, family, coworkers.... they just don't know how to make those two things coexist: I always firmly believe the worst will happen, yet I'm in a pretty good mood and fun to be around.

Two kinds of people: optimists and realists.

If we were able to hang out, that'd be fvcking awesome. But there's a lotta miles between Jersey and Texas. Do they have rum at Hooters? I still haven't found a beer to my taste.

[Leo656]

I'm not sure. The only one I've actually been to is in Delaware, further complicating matters. While we're over there we should nab Indigo and drive her nuts! She can chaperone AND designated-drive! We'll make a day of it!

Anyways, good for you man. We sure do have a lot in common.

[AquaParade]

I understand the complete lack of optimism. I don’t think a good film is outside the realm of possibility at all though. Crazier things happen all the time.

I certainly don’t count on it and only get invested to the point of being fascinated with whatever developments come about. I don’t feel like my hopes are up or my expectations are in danger. It’s just like “yeah, chances are it won’t be good, but let’s follow the developments and see if we get lucky.”

[Andrew NDB]

People ask me, "Are you happy?" My response is always, "I'm not unhappy." Actively happy? Moments here and there at varying lengths, like most people, I think. I'm well adjusted, I guess, and playing a victim or sniffing around for sympathy has never been my bag. Never.

And yes of course, this latest... "film"... is just more corporate product. You know, they assign it a date that it can't waver from and build up the production office before even... looking for a director who might actually have a vision.

They didn't care the last two times, this won't be magic #3. I admit, though, I'm morbidly curious what lessons will be "learned" from after the last one. I still suspect the wrong ones.

And with Turtles, what you call "optimism" I call something not too far removed from "Battered Wife Syndrome." "He'll get better one day, you'll see! One day he'll stop!" But he doesn't, he just keeps on a beatin'.

[Leo656]

Well, I mean in theory, someone COULD make a good TMNT movie.

Just not Viacom. Definitely not Platinum Dunes. Probably not most major studios, honestly. I wouldn't be all optimistic if WB or Disney had the reigns, either. I don't think a major studio can ever do a TMNT movie that's anything but a toy commercial.

"Hollywood" (in quotes because I'm referring to it as an entity) simply cannot resist the urge to turn TMNT into a hybrid of a super-hero story and a children's cartoon. And that's not how it was conceived. For however many times as it's been presented as such, that's still not what it is SUPPOSED to be. That's a big part of the problem. And good luck trying to convince the billionaires that they're "wrong". They know better than you, don't forget; that's why they're billionaires and we're just dumb yokels.

You can use a brick to pound in a nail and it'll mostly go "okay". That doesn't change the fact that you're still retrofitting something into something it completely was never designed to be, and the results are not going to be great. It's unavoidable.

A good TMNT movie would almost certainly have to be another independent film, and that's not happening. That's the only way anyone would ever look at TMNT as a way to tell a story, rather than primarily a way to sell plastic. Hollywood's priorities are all wrong, and that's the simple reason why they can't make a good TMNT movie. They don't have any intentions beyond selling merch.

A very strong case could be made for first TMNT movie being the only truly good one. And oddly enough, aside from a few comics, posters, and a novella, there was virtually no merch to even push for it, compared to every single TMNT movie that came after. Kinda funny how that works, ain't it? The only good movie in the series was made by people who treated the story as the primary objective, and pushing product was way in the background. They didn't even make any toys for the first movie. It's bananas. But it explains why it's such a tight film compared to every single one after; they weren't distracted by ulterior motives the first time. Since then, it's all Toys First and if they tell a story that's even coherent, that's just a fun bonus.

You simply cannot grow sweet and nourishing fruit in poisoned soil.

Andrew gets it. Sharp cat.

[IndigoErth]

I at least look forward to the nonsense and debates for this far more than I do the political crap we'll soon be enduring for far too long, so there's that..? lol

Originally Posted by Leo656

While we're over there we should nab Indigo and drive her nuts!

Only if I can duct tape you together and leave you on the lawn of my choice. Being used for my designated driver nature deserves at least that much.

Originally Posted by Leo656

expect the worst, be right most of the time, and once in a great while be pleasantly surprised.

Exactly (pretty much in the same wording) a so-called "philosophy" my pessimistic, depressive, critical mother has always subscribed to, I grew up hearing, and rejected long ago. Reality may be cold and cruel at times, but looking at her, it's just inviting misery to be focused like that all the time and I'm done with being voluntarily miserable outside of the moments that actually cause it.

Originally Posted by Leo656

And oddly enough, aside from a few comics, posters, and a novella, there was virtually no merch to even push for it, compared to every single TMNT movie that came after. Kinda funny how that works, ain't it?

I assume part of that may have been due to the following films having the profits to put toward it, while the first didn't have the money yet.

Though it's odd that Playmates didn't bother, but I don't think they were all that old of a company yet themselves, so maybe it was to much risk for some reason.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Well, I mean in theory, someone COULD make a good TMNT movie.

Just not Viacom. Definitely not Platinum Dunes. Probably not most major studios, honestly. I wouldn't be all optimistic if WB or Disney had the reigns, either. I don't think a major studio can ever do a TMNT movie that's anything but a toy commercial.

"Hollywood" (in quotes because I'm referring to it as an entity) simply cannot resist the urge to turn TMNT into a hybrid of a super-hero story and a children's cartoon. And that's not how it was conceived. For however many times as it's been presented as such, that's still not what it is SUPPOSED to be. That's a big part of the problem. And good luck trying to convince the billionaires that they're "wrong". They know better than you, don't forget; that's why they're billionaires and we're just dumb yokels.

You can use a brick to pound in a nail and it'll mostly go "okay". That doesn't change the fact that you're still retrofitting something into something it completely was never designed to be, and the results are not going to be great. It's unavoidable.

A good TMNT movie would almost certainly have to be another independent film, and that's not happening. That's the only way anyone would ever look at TMNT as a way to tell a story, rather than primarily a way to sell plastic. Hollywood's priorities are all wrong, and that's the simple reason why they can't make a good TMNT movie. They don't have any intentions beyond selling merch.

A very strong case could be made for first TMNT movie being the only truly good one. And oddly enough, aside from a few comics, posters, and a novella, there was virtually no merch to even push for it, compared to every single TMNT movie that came after. Kinda funny how that works, ain't it? The only good movie in the series was made by people who treated the story as the primary objective, and pushing product was way in the background. They didn't even make any toys for the first movie. It's bananas. But it explains why it's such a tight film compared to every single one after; they weren't distracted by ulterior motives the first time. Since then, it's all Toys First and if they tell a story that's even coherent, that's just a fun bonus.

Don't get me started about the toy fandangling.

Really, yeah, the only way there's a chance at seeing a good TMNT movie again (let's not even talk about a great TMNT movie, which would be for the first time ever) is if TMNT's stock value to Nick declines to near the redline. Like their efforts to do this or that movie, recreate a successful cartoon, move toys, etc., are met with failure after failure, at least in terms of their expected numbers. When things reach a point when they know that investing 135 million dollars into the production budget of a TMNT thing is a bad investment.

At that point... maybe, maybe they would consider doing a "real" TMNT movie (or more specifically... allowing one) to be made by people other than Michael Bay by studios willing to pony up, say, an 80 million dollar budget. Even 70.

You simply cannot grow sweet and nourishing fruit in poisoned soil.

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

I at least look forward to the nonsense and debates for this far more than I do the political crap we'll soon be enduring for far too long, so there's that..? lol

Me, I just can't wait to meet the new PLANTS. And the alumni.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

I at least look forward to the nonsense and debates for this far more than I do the political crap we'll soon be enduring for far too long, so there's that..? lol



Only if I can duct tape you together and leave you on the lawn of my choice. Being used for my designated driver nature deserves at least that much.


Exactly (pretty much in the same wording) a so-called "philosophy" my pessimistic, depressive, critical mother has always subscribed to, I grew up hearing, and rejected long ago. Reality may be cold and cruel at times, but looking at her, it's just inviting misery to be focused like that all the time and I'm done with being voluntarily miserable outside of the moments that actually cause it.

Actually sounds more like she has more in common with my mother-in-law. That's got less to do with "cynicism" and more to do with being an all-around crab. Which is a very different thing.

Not having met them I can't say for certain, but I know myself pretty well, and based on various conversations I'd wager a guess that for all our collective cynicism, Andrew, CKD and myself probably laugh more than anyone you know. At some point, it's just well beyond "Fool me once, etc." and you simply stop having patience for nonsense and/or lies. "I'll believe it when I see it" becomes the rule. Doesn't have anything to do with being Happy or Sad. It's literally a way to deflect from disappointment, nothing more.
--------------------

And you should be honored to be volunteered for Designated Driver Status. That's a sign of ultimate trust! That bridge is a goddamn death trap, you think I'd get in a car with just anyone? Madness!

Besides, I need a female voice in the room to let me know when my flirting with the waitresses goes from "good-natured" to "illegal". Because I genuinely don't know. I grew up in an era where a firm slap on the rump meant "Great job!" and I'm having a very hard time adjusting to the new reality. I kind of don't think I should have to, but all the same, it wouldn't hurt to have a "trusted advisor" such as yourself along as an angel on my shoulder, nah'mean?

Besides, the boneless wings at Hooters are generally not too bad. It'll be fun. I'm willing to wager you've never had a chick named "Tanqueray" bring you your food. Gotta be open to new experiences, pal!