Which TMNT will get the most screen time? [Archive]

Jo Dawn

12-15-2006, 07:15 AM

I think Leo and Raph will get the most screentime and Mikey will have just alittle bit less and Don will have the least amount

I agree with that, sadly. (Though I do love Leo... Just not as much as Don.)

But it's apparently how it goes, I suppose. Since that's always how it is.

Don is the best though!

And a hearty 'hear, hear' to that!! Huzzah!

iris

12-15-2006, 09:08 AM

Hah... I can imagine the turtles having this competition among themselves. The only thing I'm counting is the number of minutes until I get to see turtles on the big screen. :)

I agree that Don will have the least screen time, though. He's very internal and subtle, and it takes a soft touch to make that play well in a movie meant for popular consumption. I don't know where exactly Don will land in this flick, but it seems he'll at least be allowed to be Donatello this time around. I'll take quality over quantity any day.

jeff the cheff

12-15-2006, 09:42 AM

I think Mikey will just because he has the most during the trailer. He'll at least be talking the most

Kendamu

12-15-2006, 10:13 AM

I've heard it's a Leo/Raph heavy tale like the first one. So I'm guessing screentime will be similar to the first one.

However, isn't Donatello Peter Laird's favorite turtle? If I'm right I'm guessing that he will make sure Don's screentime won't be crap on a half shell.

Sage Ninja

12-15-2006, 10:49 AM

Leonardo and Raphael of course :roll:

I don't know why every one says Donatello doesn't get treated fairly. Maybe in the live action movies he's been casted as a Mikey clone but I seriously think he is gonna have a big role in this movie, like he does in most incarnations. Mikey is the one that is just gonna be there for comic relief, which sort of gives me mixed feelings 'cause I won't my fav turtle to have as much impact as the other turtles, and not just be "comic relief"...

Aignatius

12-15-2006, 11:32 AM

Don is the best though!

Yay! Someone else is saying it too! :lol:

iris

12-15-2006, 11:46 AM

However, isn't Donatello Peter Laird's favorite turtle? If I'm right I'm guessing that he will make sure Don's screentime won't be crap on a half shell.
I hear that really often, but I have the feeling that Don is the turtle he identifies with most, not the one he loves most. I don't think he'd want any of the main characters to have 'crap' screentime.

Draconic

12-15-2006, 12:20 PM

I think Leo will get the most screen time, followed by Raph, then Mikey, and lastly, Don. Note: It's not what I want, it's just what I think.

Masked Ninja

12-15-2006, 01:14 PM

Leo's only been dominating screentime in the new 'toon, as far as I can tell. The old series seemed to be relatively even with an emphasis on Mikey. The first movie was all Raph. Second movie... maybe a little more Don, but seemed even enough to me. Third movie I haven't seen...

This "Leo ALWAYS gets the focus" isn't quite accurate from what I've seen. He's had it in the last 'toon incarnation, but that's all...

That said, I do think he'll get the most screentime because he's training in the jungle in the beginning, right? Raph will probably be close - he has his whole vigilante thing to play out. And of course the fight between them. I have a hard time picking favorite Turtles anymore, but I would welcome a movie where Leonardo is finally in character (again, I haven't seen the 3rd movie, so unless they fixed his personality there...)

It does look like Don will have a more active role than in the last movies, though. Which makes me happy. And unless Mikey busts out some awesome ninja skills sometime during the fighting, I suspect he'll be relegated to comic relief. And that would be a shame.

Buslady

12-15-2006, 03:18 PM

honestly does it matter?

CyberCubed

12-15-2006, 04:06 PM

You know, I've been watching the old toon DVDs and Donatello gets spotlight in almost every other episode in the old show.

In most episodes its Don giving the plans and telling the others what to do while Leo just stands there. If there's any TMNT medium where Donny had it good, it was definitely the original cartoon.

J Legault

12-15-2006, 04:38 PM

I too would say leonardo and Raphel.

Course Raph got plenty of screentime in the original trilogy.

discordiatookie

12-15-2006, 04:58 PM

I heard that the turtles have been in touch with their respective lawyers and are each vying for an equal amount of screentime, or else there'll be law-suits aflyin'...

ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael

12-15-2006, 05:11 PM

I'm saying Raph. Since he has that new Nightwatcher persona.

triplexxx

12-15-2006, 08:12 PM

I'm sure they'll all get a pretty equal amount of screentime; there won't be that much difference in the amounts of time they each get.

Warhorse

12-15-2006, 08:28 PM

I think it's gonna be Raph. Didn't the director say he was favoring Raph a bit, followed closely by Mikey? So I'm thinking it's gonna be these two that steal the show!:D

Oh, Sage Ninja, why do you say Leonardo was out of character in the first two movies? I'm just curious.

BigApple3AM

12-15-2006, 08:45 PM

Don't care. Whatever tells a good story. Some characters work better in the spotlight, some don't want to be in the spotlight. Either way all of them will have more screen time than say Splinter.

Sage Ninja

12-16-2006, 11:01 AM

Oh, Sage Ninja, why do you say Leonardo was out of character in the first two movies? I'm just curious.

I meant Donatello. In the first live action movie he was pretty much a wise cracking jockster. it seemd out of place. And it felt like a plug just to get fans to like him. That sort of thing is annoying because Donatello is awsome in his own right with out being doctored up so that viewers can like him. He was more in character with his technological curriosity and scienctific know how in the second live action movie.

But to be honest I didn't like Leonardo's portrayal in the live action movies. He was so passive and mild that I was disgusted. I want to see authrotive calm and collective Leonardo. Not passive agressive, can't-come-up-with-a-good-come-back-when-Raphael-is-in-your-face, Leonardo. Grrr.

And unless Mikey busts out some awesome ninja skills sometime during the fighting, I suspect he'll be relegated to comic relief. And that would be a shame.

No shiznit! If we are going for a more Mirage like feel of the turtles in this movie, why don't we go with Mirage turtle personalities? Now i've never actually read the Mirage comics for my self, except for the synposis they give on the offical site. But from what I under stand, from what I've read and what i've heard other fans say, Mikey isn't like that in the comics. From what i understand Mikey in the comic is the most humourous of the turtles but not to the point of being a bumbling idiot or merly comic relief. And that he is just a serious a fighter and as grim as the other turtles in battle. Thats Michelangelo I want to see.

Jo Dawn

12-16-2006, 11:11 AM

I agree that Don will have the least screen time, though. He's very internal and subtle, and it takes a soft touch to make that play well in a movie meant for popular consumption. I don't know where exactly Don will land in this flick, but it seems he'll at least be allowed to be Donatello this time around. I'll take quality over quantity any day.

Agreed. Quality (as in, NOT like the first movie) over quantity. Though, I would like to see him a bit more.

However, isn't Donatello Peter Laird's favorite turtle? If I'm right I'm guessing that he will make sure Don's screentime won't be crap on a half shell.

Yeah, he's said Don was his favorite. Which really makes me wonder WHY he would have agreed to some of the characterizations of Don.

I meant Donatello. In the first live action movie he was pretty much a wise cracking jockster. it seemd out of place. And it felt like a plug just to get fans to like him. That sort of thing is annoying because Donatello is awsome in his own right with out being doctored up so that viewers can like him. He was more in character with his technological curriosity and scienctific know how in the second live action movie.

Right! People love him beCAUSE of who he is. It was an injustice to his actual FANS to change him to be more likeable to the masses, if that was their intent. That's what ticked me off.

Zelda

12-16-2006, 01:11 PM

Raph and Leo are easiest to do screentime on....they have a really strong dynamic, easy to identify with, etc. Initially I was thinking it'll probably be centric to them with Mikey being comic relief and Don following in last place.

But I dunno. Everything I've read and seen....I have a lot of faith in the movie and especially in the director. I don't see them ditching Donny. Maybe he won't have as in-your-face a role as the others, but I really don't see them letting him fall to the wayside. And we already have some clips of him in the trailer that make him look all cool and important ;)

Spike Spiegel

12-16-2006, 01:22 PM

Donatello NEEDS some screen time. His nerdiness is what makes him cool!

Plus he is at times, the voice of reason, kinda like Splinter.

Plus the Bo Staff is a kick-@$$ weapon.

johnnyblaze

12-16-2006, 02:04 PM

triplexxx

12-16-2006, 02:21 PM

I think its a safe bet they are going to go for the even approach and try to balance the entire film out with each turtle. The idea behind it is about their family after all.

Action wise I can't wait to see them all fight. I imagine their individual personalities and the fact that they are really really good at fighting should make them incredible to watch.
My thoughts exactly! You hit the nail on the head!
P.S. I can't remember where exactly, but on some youtube video regarding this movie, they referred to it as "a correction of past mistakes." Now I think that's a rather cynical way to view this movie, whoever it was that said this. This movie should be looked at as "an addition to an already spectacular phenomenon."

Roseangelo

12-16-2006, 04:58 PM

That was just the G4 dweebs who said that. Nothing to give any weight to.

Jo Dawn

12-16-2006, 05:04 PM

P.S. I can't remember where exactly, but on some youtube video regarding this movie, they referred to it as "a correction of past mistakes." Now I think that's a rather cynical way to view this movie, whoever it was that said this. This movie should be looked at as "an addition to an already spectacular phenomenon."

That was from G4.

I don't think it was so cynical. They're referring to how campy the old ones were, in some ways.

I agree, though, in that I'm looking forward to this new one to really correct some things that were done very wrongly in the past movies. Talking to Kevin in these boards has me really looking forward to this, and not doubting as much.

Warhorse

12-16-2006, 05:16 PM

Hey, while on this subject about screen time. Who do you think will be the scene stealer?

Have the best scenes, or most memorable ones?

triplexxx

12-16-2006, 05:27 PM

I don't think it was so cynical. They're referring to how campy the old ones were, in some ways.

I agree, though, in that I'm looking forward to this new one to really correct some things that were done very wrongly in the past movies.
Campy or not, there were people that liked the previous movies and appreciated them for what they were, and I'm one of those people; I just don't believe this movie should be looked as an "improvement over the others", it can be appreciated without using comparison.

Aignatius

12-21-2006, 07:26 AM

The first movie is in a class by itself. Not to mention it was using some state of the art technology back then. The first time I saw it, I could not figure out how they got the masks to move the way they did, when the characters talked. Amazing stuff...
I'm looking forward to what they've done with this new film, since CGI certainly has gotten very sophisticated. I certainly enjoyed the trailer, myself. As long as it allows me to get caught up in the story and the characters, it's good to go. :D

NightwatchersOnlygirl

12-21-2006, 09:11 AM

Raphael,Raphael.Raphael.Raphael

Jo Dawn

12-21-2006, 08:29 PM

Campy or not, there were people that liked the previous movies and appreciated them for what they were, and I'm one of those people; I just don't believe this movie should be looked as an "improvement over the others", it can be appreciated without using comparison.

Oh, I love them, alright... But I always feel that anything can be improved upon. Upward and onward and all that. I'm always for improving, even if in the smallest ways.

That's what I meant, in that I love the old movies, but I felt they made many mistakes that, thus far, I have been assured have been corrected with this new movie.

triplexxx

12-21-2006, 09:54 PM

Oh, I love them, alright... But I always feel that anything can be improved upon. Upward and onward and all that. I'm always for improving, even if in the smallest ways.
I totally agree with you on that; the fact is nobody and nothing will ever be perfect and everything can always be improved upon. This is why I've taught myself in my recent years to look past imperfections and accept things the way they are by focusing on their positives, and its made me extremely content with life.

Warhorse

12-22-2006, 09:10 PM

Good way to look at life Triplexxx.

I cannot compare and outweigh the two mediums that have been brought forth to us.

The first movie was ground breaking, and you have to give huge kudos to the actors to pull off those moves. The Shredder was done magnificently in the first, and Casey Jones and April O' Neill were done perfectly in my opinion.

Now they are trying something new, by continuing with the story in CGI. I think this feat in itself is another ground breaking move, to be able to carry the characters that we loved from the first movie to an animated style. It's a shock to the eyes, but the story and the return of the Turtles to the big screen is a big welcome to most at hand.

I dont see the big mistakes in the first movie as people mentioned. Just a different variation to the root material, but that doesn't make it a mistake. It's just a different side of the story by a director that was trying to mesh together the elements from both the comics and the cartoons of the 1980's. And most people were exposed to the cartoons of the 1980's in my opinion vs the comic books. Either way, it came out with a fantastic product! And after being one of the biggest independent box office record holders, seems the mass audience was quite happy with the first Turtles too!

Rooish

12-24-2006, 10:49 PM

I voted for Leonardo... he has always seemed to be the "main character" of, at least, the comics to me. It seems fitting for the "leader" to have a leading role, if only by a little bit. Although I think he will get the most screen time, Raph's scenes will be most memorable. However, I think the Turtles will get fair treatment. As far as "screen stealing" goes, I think each will steal in his own way.

Leo will probably have the big emotional conflict.
Raphael might just steal the show completely with his armour and angst and fight scenes.
And Mikey and Don will both have hilarious lines.

ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael

12-24-2006, 10:59 PM

Leo will probably have the big emotional conflict.
Raphael might just steal the show completely with his armour and angst and fight scenes.
And Mikey and Don will both have hilarious lines.

So it's almost a mirror image of the first movie. Except Raph didn't have armor then.

Rooish

12-24-2006, 11:11 PM

LOL, I guess so. Well, that's just what I predict.

Donatello

12-29-2006, 05:16 PM

probably raph, looking at what each "side job" the turtles each have, his and leos seem the most interesting, while don being a phone tech assistant will undoubtebly get the least

mik8la

12-29-2006, 06:13 PM

I honestly think all four turtles will have equal screentime (even though it might not seem that way judging from the leaked pics). Mikey will get all of the funny one-liners, Donnie will probably be the one to figure out how to fix the whole monsters-escaping thing, Leo will get cool fight scenes, and Raph will be able to do his angsty vigilante thing. Once the movie comes out and one turtle seems to get more screen time than the others, it'll just because his scenes will seem more intense. For example, Donnie may get five minutes of researching and talking about Mayan esoterics and Raph will get five minutes of kicking bad-guy butt and talking about his anger over Leo's return, but it'll seem that Raph had more screen time.

That being said, the first movie was Raph's, the second Donnie's, and the third Mikey's. If it's gonna be Leo's turn, I hope he at least gets justice done to his character finally. He's almost unrecognizable in the other three movies (yelling "awesome!" in a pseudo-surfer voice, letting out a Wayne's-World-like "Schwinggg!" when confronted with April's legs, being a wilting lily when confronted with a Raph tantrum, etc.). Donnie had the same grievance with his Mikey-like behavior in the first movie, but that was partially fixed in the sequel. I almost don't care if Leo gets only fifteen minutes of screen time in the fourth film; so long as he's in character, I'll be happy.

Warhorse

12-29-2006, 07:11 PM

I was thinking it would be Leo's turn, but judging by the pics, I'm thinking Raph will be the main attraction. But I've been wrong begore.

mik8la

12-29-2006, 08:01 PM

I was thinking it would be Leo's turn, but judging by the pics, I'm thinking Raph will be the main attraction. But I've been wrong begore.

Awww, well. But now that I think about it, Mikey could very well end up stealing the show. I know he'd be the one who'll appeal to the audience's sense of nostalgia the most (quasi-surfer accent notwithstanding), which, really, will be a big reason why people will see this film. An image can't capture a Mikey one-liner or gold comedy moment.

Then again, I kind of got the sense that the stills were missing a good chunk of the beginning and the end. I didn't see that much images of Leo's jungle adventure, Mikey's Cowabunga Carl experience, Casey and April acting domestic, the immediate aftermath of the Raph/Leo fight (was Leo taken by the generals?), Leo's barehanded fight with Karai, and the final showdown. Actually, I don't mind at all that only the middle was shown in detail; it only makes me wanna see the movie even more. :D

Warhorse

12-29-2006, 08:07 PM

^I agree with. This wait is killing me, but thankfully those pics were released. Something to hold me over until then.

But someone mentioned that in Leo and Raph's fight, it looks like Leo's swords get broken. I wonder if they were broken by Raph (he does have the weapon that's meant to do just that!) or did some monsters interrupt them and broke Leo's swords?

mik8la

12-29-2006, 08:52 PM

Interesting observation...I'd wager it was the generals' doing, since Raph seems to have been stripped of his Nightwatcher weapon early on--later in the sequence, he's unmasked and armed with his sais--and in the art book there's a storyboard sketch of a turtle grabbing onto a similar chain weapon (could've been Leo). I kind of got the sense that Leo, on the ground but not looking defeated at all, says something to Raph that snaps him out of his fury (look at his expression). Either that or he tells Raph that they have an audience, and Raph looks up and sees the generals.

But if Raph was responsible for the swords, then no wonder he looked so guilty on his return to the lair! So did he leave his brother there on the rooftop to be beaten on by the generals (because there's a still where they're all looking at the ground), or was he forcibly taken out of the fight? In any case, Leo's homecoming party sure sucks...

You know, I bet all of this speculation is pretty off, and I will be laughing over it when March comes. :lol:

Warhorse

12-29-2006, 08:58 PM

You get the feeling that this Leo vs Raph fight is getting to be hyped up as bad as the Anakin vs Obiwan in Star Wars 3? Seeing that Leo was looking like a Jedi in the beginning pics, I had to throw this in.

Roseangelo

12-29-2006, 09:01 PM

Warhorse

12-29-2006, 09:17 PM

I had originally noticed Raph holding Leo's swords. Wondering what had happened.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Warhorse_1978/raphkatanas.jpg

Then the man that would be raphael pointed out the broken swords to me. I saw the monsters in the background wondering if maybe they broke the swords. It's hard to tell. Raph is quite powerful, and I have no doubt that he has the strength to break swords, but I am so used to Leo pulling one last trick out of the bag, leaving Raph spralled on the floor. So this is all confusing.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Warhorse_1978/BrokenSwords.jpg

Dammit! March can't get here soon enough!

mik8la

12-30-2006, 01:55 AM

To Roseangelo: yes, the speculating is quite fun. :) And I didn't notice the blood vessels until you pointed it out. Cool attention to detail.

Looking at the pics again, I have to say that Leo's swords do appear broken. I can't picture Raph doing it, no matter how strong he might be; even Shredder had to strain to break them (in the new 'toon, at least). Could he really resent his brother that much to do that? Wonder what his beef with Leo could be this time...

For that matter, what happened to Raph when the generals enter the picture? Leo's still standing and doesn't seem to be winded by the previous fight, but his brother seems to have disappeared. I think the generals, after beating Leo up, make off with him or assume he's dead--either of which could result in Raphael returning alone. Maybe near the end of the movie (?), Raphael gives Leo a pair of replacement swords...which would mean that Leo would have to go through the entire second half of the film unarmed.

You get the feeling that this Leo vs Raph fight is getting to be hyped up as bad as the Anakin vs Obiwan in Star Wars 3? Seeing that Leo was looking like a Jedi in the beginning pics, I had to throw this in.

:lol: From someone who didn't like the prequels, I got the image of Darth Maul Karai battling Jedi Leo.

ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael

12-30-2006, 02:06 AM

I love all this speculation; it's so insanely fun!

I'm not convinced Leo's sword gets broken. It might just be the angle (I'm assuming those saying that are looking at pic 138 ). I do think that, for whatever reason, the Generals get to Leo and not Raph.

Anyone else notice in the close-up shots that you can see blood vessels in the Turtles' eyes? I am so in love with this movie... :tlove:

They're broken. It's not the angle. From the way his hand is, you would be able to see the whole "katana". You can't, meaning Raph must have shattered them, out of fury or something.

Aignatius

12-30-2006, 08:07 AM

Karai does look a lot like Darth Maul...

Roseangelo

12-30-2006, 12:03 PM

I was watching the trailer (again) last night and there's a quick shot of Leo from the same scene with the generals and I could definitely see that they are broken. So yeah, this scene is gonna be pretty wild!

Warhorse

12-30-2006, 12:30 PM

Dammit! March is too far off.

But I wonder what Mikey and Donnie will be pulling out of the bag. They are no weaklings when it comes to a good fight!

Anyways, I am looking at it this way. Leo and Raph will have the best action sequences, while Mikey and Don will have the most memorable quotes!

I wonder is this movie will be nominated in the MTV movie awards?