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

[Krutch]

Yeah, the original film doesn't feel like it has a single main character, though I can see your argument of it being Danny. He has alot of agency and even more screentime than some of the turtles themselves. But he's completely absent from the climax of the film and everything thats happening around him is beyond his control.

And hey - it's just Dan now, okay?

[IndigoErth]

Well, if a human must lead it, then April is kind of inherently the primary one to do so, but in that case it better be a very strongly/solidly written and acted April.


Problem with PD though is that the human parts are SO god damned boring after you've seen it a few times. These are literally the first and only TMNT films I have ever started just fast forwarding through portions, which is sad to think it has come to that.

[Krutch]

I love April but would rather Casey take the lead if a human must. His story is very ground level and would be a fun entry point into the TMNT.

Have the opening credits be him working out and watching TV news reports about how gang violence is out of control. Have him go take out a few guys and come home all bloody and exhausted. Get a sense of the neighbourhood he lives in and the people in his life. Then have him go out again and this time bump into Raphael. Then he slowly gets introduced to the brothers and finds out that he's only been treating the symptom - that Shredder exists and is behind all the gang warfare. Casey realizes that helping these turtles is the only way to really reach an endgame and even though he knows he's in over his head, he has to try.

I'd probably introduce Hun as well so in the climax Casey has someone to fight who he can reasonably take out.

[IndigoErth]

While I generally kind of dislike anyone leading it other than the Turtles, taking it from Casey's point of view would be an interesting angle, I'll give you that.

[Andrew NDB]

It'd be interesting to see a TMNT reboot entirely from the perspective of Oroku Saki.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It'd be interesting to see a TMNT reboot entirely from the perspective of Oroku Saki.

Seems unlikely to happen, though. And it would depend on how interesting and well-written said Shredder was. Ch'rell from 2k3 sure had an interesting life, for example.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Hell, I'd love a "TMNT Logan" movie. 30 years later, Splinter dead, the turtles separated and at odds, called together for one last whatever.

I guess, basically a more grounded Odyssey (i.e. less time travel, magic, and alternate realities).

Wouldn't be bad, but they need to do ONE movie that gets the basics right, first, before we start jumping all over the place.
-------------------

As for why a TMNT movie really does need a human to carry most of the story, it's simple: A lot of the people watching the movie don't know anything about TMNT other than, "My kid likes it". They think it's silly and dumb. By showing things through the "lens" of a human character, it makes all the implausible, goofy nonsense make a lot more sense. The human characters are the "bridge" that makes the rest of the world seem realistic. Without them it's a farce.

I've shown a ton of people the 1990 film who were downright hostile towards watching a TMNT movie. They either never even heard of it, somehow, OR just assume it's a dumb Muppet movie. The way the film presents the story has always managed to get those people engaged, despite their initial misgivings, in a way that a film that is "just" centered on the TMNT is not. I've even seen a few people tear up.

The fact that it does such a good job winning over "haters" is why it's such a good movie. I wouldn't have minded seeing maybe a *bit* more focus on the Turtles but altogether I thought the balance was just about perfect.

Do a movie that ONLY focuses on the TMNT, and now it's a kids' movie. Or, at least, one that non-fans won't take seriously enough to sit through.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It'd be interesting to see a TMNT reboot entirely from the perspective of Oroku Saki.

Esp if it was a version that isn't right in the head and gets a bit into his madness... That would be interesting for sure.

[newfan]

Yeah, if there ever was a spin off Movie I'd like go with Oroku Saki too.

[Egon1982]

Yes the last 2 were crap.

[Diorm]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I'd be happy with something done "Superman Returns"-style. "It's really been four decades but we're all just kinda gonna pretend that the last one was 5 minutes ago." That'd be fine. They'd still be teenagers and the events of the 1990 film still happened... just not in 1990.

Movies shouldn't date themselves by locking it into, "This specifically happened in the year _____,".

This. That's what I want to see too. It's a big trend nowaday to do this or a sequel that takes place some 30 years laters. Jurassic World, Tron Legacy, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, Mary Poppins, Star Wars, Mad Max etc.
Simply do a sequel that forget other films happened like Superman Returns or the upcomming Ghostbusters.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Yeah, the "Halloween" (2018 ) route. 30 years later with late 40s Turtles and "one last fight."

It'd be neat for a one off thing.

Technically, like other animals, don't turtles age differently from humans?

In any future incarnation, I'd like to see the turtles out of their teenage years. Although preferably in their 30s or 40s. A lot of people in their 20s really don't act much different than their teens.

[IndigoErth]

Factoring in that they're mutants (with or without some amount of human depending on personal preference)... who knows. Personal interpretation I guess.

Turtle age myths be damned (except for the lucky species it's based on), far as I know Sliders supposedly don't even live any longer than humans (or maybe not nearly as long, the info seems to vary), so it may be in their best interest anyhow to gain a human-like lifespan.


I'd love so much to see their age caught up to their franchise age, at least for a few films or something. 35-year-old Turtle guys would be awesome to see. And that's still a young enough age that they don't have to go making them look old to order to be believable. Just a 30-something maturity to match and a few extra old battle scars if need be.

(If a film or whatever went with 20s to start, maybe start them off at late 20s, well enough beyond the extended teen-like phase of the young 20s, so then a follow up project can step into the 30s.)

[Coola Yagami]

Hmmm I would love the 90s tmnt to use the time scepter to come to modern day and adjust to all the changes. Perfect way to bring back Elias and Judith as they are now too.

[graphic_content]

If they go with Shredder-centered story line, I would love them to introduce his older brother Nagi. By starting with Nagi, and introducing the love triangle/conflict with Yoshi, plus ultimately killing Nagi, forcing Saki to avenge him - itll add layering to Shredder's character to might make it easier to sympathize with him.

[IndigoErth]

Hold up a sec... Either we've changed writer or we've added one?

This article is for another film (a female-led Fast and the Furious spin off), but among its announced writers it mentions this...

[Lindsey] Beer worked on the Netflix film Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and is writing the recently announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot.

https://geektyrant.com/news/the-fema...-three-writers

Thoughts? Anyone familiar with her work? Not a long filmography on IMDB but looks like an interesting mix, plus the one this article was about.

[graphic_content]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Hold up a sec... Either we've changed writer or we've added one?

This article is for another film (a female-led Fast and the Furious spin off), but among its announced writers it mentions this...




Thoughts? Anyone familiar with her work?

Is it commonplace for a studio to hire more than one writer to simultaneously write their own version of a movie? Or are Dodge, and Beer working together?

[Krutch]

She looks like literally every girl in the Art department

As for her writing, I have no opinion since I havent seen anything she's done.

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, doesn't seem uncommon to have more than one working together. The last two films had the two guys, and the film that article is about has hired three.



Not TMNT related, from Dec 2017:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...-vader-1063482

Trigger warning (must I really say this?) on the use of "feminist" and that angle of the article for those at risk of meltdowns over such things. THAT ASIDE, reading the interview she was a part of, I'm kind of liking her attitude already. Will be curious to see what she can bring to a script for our guys. (And April too.)

Spoiler:

On notes from men about women

GENEVA ROBERTSON-DWORET I got really frustrated with a male director because he kept saying, "I just want her to be a normal girl." Male executives and filmmakers are still scared to give women warts — to give a woman the same specificity they'd give a male character.

LINDSEY BEER With female char*acters, I always get the note that they need to be "likable." They will say she seems like a … well, they won't say the B-word, but they imply the B-word. A female character can't have a chip on her shoulder the way a man can. We have so many lovable male protagonists that are the grumpy antihero, but that character as a woman is hard to push through.

On being the only woman in the writers room

AMANDA SILVER I was in a room, and there was this guy, and I don't think he was a jerk or he was even aware of what he was doing, but every time I started to say something, he would cut me off. So the next time he interrupted me, I called him out on it, immediately. It's like the bully at school: You've got to punch him in the nose.

BEER I am smaller, and my voice is quieter than these men. Geneva and I were in the Transformers room, and we were all pitching to Steven Spielberg over Skype. We were sitting at this long table, and the men had these deep voices he could actually hear.

ROBERTSON-DWORET Oh, God, that was so embarrassing. We had to get right by the camera and mic.

BEER It looked like I was making out with Spielberg over Skype. But he couldn't hear me, so I was like, "**** it. You and me Spielberg — we are going to have a moment."

On what makes a great block-*buster heroine

SILVER Growing up, we all had favorite movies that were made by and starred men, but you squint and take on the male point of view and you enjoy it. It should work in the reverse. The female heroine should be allowed to be just as relatable for everybody, which means she will be flawed. Perfection is boring, man.

BEER Female characters also need to have motivations that aren't just a man or children. I know a male screenwriter who said he could think of 300 motivations for his male character, but all he could think about for his female character was that she had kids to go save. It's just a subconscious bias. I fall into the same thing.

ROBERTSON-DWORET I hate the setup [for men] where the nuclear weapon is about to go off, and you can either stop that or save your girlfriend. And they go save the girlfriend! Of course, they also stop the nuclear bomb. But I always think, "Wouldn't your girlfriend want you to save the city? Or is she the most selfish person ever? Why do you even date her?"

On changing the equation

SILVER You can't really define the "female perspective," but simple math tells you that if more women are writing and directing, a female perspective will emerge.

ROBERTSON-DWORET My first four jobs, I was only hired by female executives at various companies. They took the risk on me.

BEER In general, studios need to be less risk-averse. You give a female a chance, and you get Wonder Woman. You give diverse voices a chance, and you get Get Out.

On industry double standards

BEER You can only get your movie made if you get one of three or four actresses attached to it because there are only so many female stars who are considered bankable. There would be a lot more if we made more female content.

SILVER It's totally a chicken-before-the-egg situation.

ROBERTSON-DWORET [Male stars] can be into their 50s, but you are going to have a hard time selling the studio on making a $120 million action movie with a 45-year-old actress. You have Liam Neeson, but you would never have people say, "Judi Dench should really star in this action film."

SILVER I am totally on for that.

BEER It's the Bond spinoff we really need.

On the blockbuster they would like to gender-swap

BEER I want to see a female Darth Vader.

ROBERTSON-DWORET For me, it's McClane in Die Hard. He is so dry and funny. Female characters in action movies are so serious. They never seem to ever have any fun kicking ass.

I guess we missed this one from the 15th that does mention her.
http://sciencefiction.com/2019/01/15...s-reboot-year/

[Diorm]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

ROBERTSON-DWORET I hate the setup [for men] where the nuclear weapon is about to go off, and you can either stop that or save your girlfriend. And they go save the girlfriend! Of course, they also stop the nuclear bomb. But I always think, "Wouldn't your girlfriend want you to save the city? Or is she the most selfish person ever? Why do you even date her?"

In "The Dark Knight", Batman let his ex die to save her current boyfriend, Harvey Dent, for the good of the city.

It was a breath of fresh air.