Hypothetical: How would you handle the next reboot if we don't get a sequel?

[Warboss74]

Whether you like this film or not, it leaves us in a precarious situation with TMNT on the big screen should this film not do well enough to make a sequel.

If the next creative team goes with an origin story, it might seem rehashed following up a previous origin story film. What elements do you think you could put off in hopes of a potential sequel, and what elements are a must have?

If they do a soft reboot sequel, how much of the first film are they going to have to retcon before they're better off just starting from scratch? What are the most important elements that you feel should be fixed in this scenario? What are the least?

If this situation presented itself, how would you handle the next reboot? How would you face the issues presented and/or additional issues for your reboot?

[Bry]

I know I've posted this before, but I actually wrote a fan-casting/mini-treatment for a TMNT movie several months ago (http://brykotyk.tumblr.com/post/59113017653/fan-casting-a-better-tmnt-movie).

[samxsteal]

Whether you like this film or not, it leaves us in a precarious situation with TMNT on the big screen should this film not do well enough to make a sequel.

If the next creative team goes with an origin story, it might seem rehashed following up a previous origin story film. What elements do you think you could put off in hopes of a potential sequel, and what elements are a must have?

If they do a soft reboot sequel, how much of the first film are they going to have to retcon before they're better off just starting from scratch? What are the most important elements that you feel should be fixed in this scenario? What are the least?

If this situation presented itself, how would you handle the next reboot? How would you face the issues presented and/or additional issues for your reboot?

i DOnt want a reboot at this point i Love the actors Involvedd to much I think slight changes are except-able Like changing leos voice back Minor character add more character and such
all the actors in this movie do a great job of playing their character Jeremy, Noel, Pete, Alan, Danny, Tohoru Masamune, All did fantastic i want to see more from them not someone else everything else can change(even thought i loved Johnathan's take and dont really want to see him leave) I still wan't Kevin working on the movie and giving insight, But this movie really does deserve a sequel

[Anton Chigurh]

Sorry but if this movie doesn't produce a sequel. We will not see another live movie about tmnt in the next 20+ years, lets be real.

And how its looking a sequel is kinda a stretch.

[Vulkanthekrusader]

Kill off Megan Fox, focus on turtles, bring in bebop and rocksteady, make shredder a utrom and show people dimension x, and a longer movie with more character building and no corny jokes.

[Andrew NDB]

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

[Andrew NDB]

Kill off Megan Fox, focus on turtles, bring in bebop and rocksteady, make shredder a utrom and show people dimension x

I haven't seen the "film" that's out right now, but what you describe would pretty much be the worst thing imaginable... which means that's probably exactly what we're going to get in TMNT Part 6.

[NinjaPug]

I would start by hiring a talented production company, screenwriter and director and not ones that think bigger and flashier equals better.

[CyberCubed]

Adapt City at War into a movie. Make it a loose continuation of the first 4 movies.

April/Casey grow apart, Karai and the Foot go to war, and Rat King debuts in the movies. It's win/win.

[SwiftNinjaFox]

I'd go with a more traditional design in terms of accessories and size of the turtles. The foot wraps, belts/straps, arm wraps, elbow/knee pads, possibly some bracer/forearm armor or shoulder armor for them, a little variety between them on that gear. Proper plastron and the shell bridge on the sides. Toss up on full CG vs mix of traditional make up and CG, depends on what you could do there.

If it was a full reboot, and I've got supreme control in this fantasy thought experiment, I'd probably go with a Batman Begins approach of a full film focused on the origin. From whatever Yoshi/Saki angle you choose to go with to the mutation and actually spending time exploring different stages of their youth and training. The overall conflict I'd go with would be the original goal of bringing down Shredder, though it might be developed with that being a clear end-game goal of a trilogy rather than having a one-and-done Shredder story or a defeat and "I didn't die" sequel.

Developing it as a working your way up to the criminal kingpin rather than going straight after him from the start.

I'd draw heavily on IDW for some things. Bebop and Rocksteady being nasty, mean, gangland style infantry level that prove to be the best in terms of the last 2 standing to be selecting for mutation. Making them serious dangerous threats but clearly the muscle with someone like Karai directing them.

And outright ninja vs ninja. I want the 100 foot soldiers vs Turtles & Splinter martial arts brawl with a ton of choreography. I didn't feel like we got the martial artist vs martial artist in the new movie too much. Gimme a scene like the end of 2007's TMNT, only with a full fight.

I'd love to see the Mirage Leonardo vs the Foot sequence for Shredder's return while the others are getting ready for Christmas. But I'm biased there...I just want them to show that Leo's a bad ass in his own right for a change. ;)

[CyberCubed]

And no damn noses or nostrils!

[SwiftNinjaFox]

And no damn noses or nostrils!

Oddly enough, I came out not even minding that. That was actually the least of my problems.

[Tora]

In the opening of the movie tell the backstory of Saki and Yoshi and how the Turtles came to be...

Yoshi would flee Japan after being framed for his masters death by Saki. He heads to NY to start a new life and does ok for a few years until one night on his walk home from work a truck gets sideswiped and hits him into a pet shop. The trucks back door gets jarred lose and a canister falls out onto Yoshi and a rat next to him that was released from a cage in the shop. He then gets up from the hit he took as the truck flees the scene. To his horror he is covered in ooze and sees a turtle bowl knocked over into the same green substance. He grabs the turtles and heads home to rest and bandage his wounds. The next morning to he sees that his body is changing and starts to look like a Rat. He becomes afraid and goes to the hospital but when he arrives he is chased out by a cop.

Yoshi now knows that he can not go back to work so he grabs his personal items and heads to an abandoned warehouse with the turtles who have also now doubled in size. Overtime he and his Turtles train but as the turtles grow bigger Yoshi decides they must head down to sewer to hide from the world. The Turtles end up calling Yoshi Splinter as a super hero type nick name because he is so gifted as a fighter.



I would Have April going to college to become a news reporter while working part-time for a Prof. Stockman on campus for a while. At some point she finds out he is crazy so he sends the Mousers after her. When that happens she takes off running into the subway where she can be safe but is cornered by the Mousers. She ends up being saved by the Turtles.

Around that time The Shredder finds out that Yoshi is still alive because of the symbols found in the city by the Foot Ninja that were left by the turtles. Shredder wants to end what he started with Yoshi in Japan so he sends out his men to hunt him down. Around the middle of the story one of Shredders street thugs (Human Bebop or Rocksteady if you want) find a Mouser trying to break into a bank so they grab it and take it to Shredder.

Shredder decides to seek out Stockman to force him to make more robots for the foot to help take out the big crime families and to find his old foe. Stockman tells him they where made for military use but that they were never picked up for use so he decided to rob the city Banks instead. The Shredder tells him he will give him all the money he wants as long as he and the mousers serve his needs.


The movie would end with a huge multi-roof top fight with Splinter and the Turtles vs. Shredder and the Foot Ninja. The Turtles send Shredder flying with a final strike.

Shredder is now laying in an alley near death about to die from the fall off of a rooftop when out of nowhere a drill module rises from under ground. A stone-like man picks him up and puts him in the module and tells his boss Lord Krang on his communicator that man is still alive.


That's a rough outline for what I would want.

[hitmonkey]

I know I've posted this before, but I actually wrote a fan-casting/mini-treatment for a TMNT movie several months ago (http://brykotyk.tumblr.com/post/59113017653/fan-casting-a-better-tmnt-movie).

Can I just watch this movie?

[neatoman]

Well, a lower budget animated kids movie? Or maybe allow someone who wants to direct a TMNT movie do so instead of hiring paycheck director like Liebesman?

I know it will never happen but I would like an animated adaptation of the Turtles in Space arc or an anthology style Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.

[Powder]

I don't think a worse movie could possibly get put out, so I would handle it well, I think. I definitely want a reboot more than a sequel. Before seeing the movie, I thought that a sequel may have potential, but not anymore. Knowing what kind of stuff would get carried over into the second one makes me lose all hope, even more if they keep the same people on board for writing/directing.

[Lou 500]

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

Or it won't happen in our lifetimes. Man, who knew waiting for the next Ninja Turtles movie would make you reflect on your own mortality...

And no damn noses or nostrils!

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3494/3253724974_052681f27f.jpg

LOOK. LOOK AT THEM.

[Commenter 42]

Or it won't happen in our lifetimes. Man, who knew waiting for the next Ninja Turtles movie would make you reflect on your own mortality...



https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3494/3253724974_052681f27f.jpg

LOOK. LOOK AT THEM.

Wrong, species, but sure, nostrils aren't the real problem.
EDIT* Actually, that's a tortoise. If you're gonna throw stones...

[Slap-Happy]

Don't make Shredder the villain of the first movie. Make him the Emperor of this series.

[Lou 500]

Wrong, species, but sure, nostrils aren't the real problem.
EDIT* Actually, that's a tortoise. If you're gonna throw stones...

It's chelonian, and all chelonians have nostrils.

[Andrew NDB]

Man, who knew waiting for the next Ninja Turtles movie would make you reflect on your own mortality...

Pretty much all the TMNT movies so far have made me reflect on a lot more than that.

[Midnight Mutant]

How would I handle another reboot?

Emotionally handling a reboot: I would be fine with it. I'd hope they'd choose people more in love with the franchise and learn what to do and not to do from this current movie.

Honestly with the 2007 movie not doing too hot and this one kinda meh, I'd be stoked that they would attempt it again with the last 3 movies being kind of flops.

I DO want this one to do well enough for a sequel. Not because I love it, not because it's worthy, but I want it to be successful enough to where they don't give up on putting the turtles on the big screen ever again in general.

Handling it as in I was in charge of it: I'd probably, get a lot of inspiration from the Nick toon. Since it does a great job of meshing it up from a lot of different versions, it seems ideal. I find I like the balance of danger, action and humor and it would work well on the big screen.

I'd stick with the classic look and mix media of CGI/motion capture and some puppets. Mixing media tricks the eye more and can really make for things to look real.

I would try to get inspiration from the fans as well since they ultimately know what they want to see.

I'd give more development to the characters and make the movie much longer.

[Werecat]

I think I would not be afraid to show character death. How to Train your Dragon 2 got away with character death and dismemberment. So you just need a creative way to show it that gets the point across, isn't anti-climatic, and builds up tension.

I would also like to see a TMNT movie with natural light. Similar to How to Train your dragon. I dislike how everywhere in the TMNT movie is well lit. There needs to be darkness and the only light should be natural.

The plot should revolve around the turtles. All subplots should be one of the turtles that doesn't get enough time to shine in the main plot. There shouldn't always be a bad guy. The Antagonist doesn't have to be someone it can be something.

I think the origin of the turtles should be very similar to the comic book version, were everything just happened by chance instead of destiny. The mutagen should be some sort of weaponized-evolution-in-a-can were it mutates the creatures and makes their purpose malleable.

I just want a good TMNT movie that captures their original feel. They are trained to be ninja. To be assassins or hunters. To hunt down Shredder and kill him, as their master taught them. I don't want the movie to be dark. I just don't want the movie to be afraid to take itself seriously for a moment.

[Commenter 42]

It's chelonian, and all chelonians have nostrils.

Yes, they belong to the same order. But when some one says "hey they look like turtles...they really don't. It's the tortoise turtle confusuion (a pet peeve of mine)
and when you get up that high in the clasification, they all have vastly different faces.
This (the classic TMNT species RES)
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/red-eared-slider-turtle-closeup-10273458.jpg
to this (ugh..who wants this! Mata-Mata)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4020/4541473068_6d9d8a0f3e_z.jpg

also note the reduced nostril size.

[TrickOrTreater]

Cast:
Splinter: Hiroyuki Sanada
Shredder: Tadanobu Asano
April: Anna Kendrick
Leonardo: Topher Grace
Raphael: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Michelangelo: Josh Hutcherson
Donatello: Don Glover
Casey Jones: Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Karai: Rinko Kikuchi
Baxter Stockman: Mos Def

Turtle Designs: Realistic mocap renders and body types as similar as possible to Out of the Shadows. Not hulking roid monsters, Ninja Turtles.

Turtle Accoutrement: Very toned down. They all have traditional elbow/knee pads and different colored eyemasks, but each of them get small bits here and there to further illustrate their personalities. Leo has some traditional Japanese warrior garb here and there, Donnie has a couple brown leather utility belts to hold tools and/or gadgets. Mikey has some old, torn up converse, a surfer bracelet, an ipod, an I<3NY sticker on his shell and a Hello My Name Is MIKEY sticker on his plastron, and Raphael has wraps on his wrists, knees, ankles, and the scars he's earned in battle and sparring with his brothers. That's it.

Splinter: Either average human height or slightly shorter, basically how he looked in the concept design from the new movie. Not the final design.

Shredder: IDW Shredder design but with some hidden retractable wrist blades and a retractable ninjato on the back of his belt.

Foot Clan: Actual ninjas again. No guns or dumb air soft masks.

More time spent on Turtles and their relationship with Splinter, who would have a bigger role and be involved in the final fight vs Shredder and Karai and a few Foot Ninjas.

Make it way less sterile and shiny and bland. More grimy and gritty, darker in look and atmosphere.

Turtles' personalities are still in tact.

Origin story: Basically the Nick origin, without the overt Kraang/Utrom influence. That should only be hinted at. And without Karai being Splinter's daughter.

That's how I'd do it, pretty much. At least the surface stuff. I won't bother writing a story/plot treatment.

[Warboss74]

There's some interesting takes on an origin reboot, but would releasing a new origin reboot with the standard staple elements in 2019-2020 get casual moviegoers excited to support what might be too similar of a film too soon?

[Galactus]

There's some interesting takes on an origin reboot, but would releasing a new origin reboot with the standard staple elements in 2019-2020 get casual moviegoers excited to support what might be too similar of a film too soon?

Well it wan't too long after Superman Returns that we got Man of Steel and we got Amazing Spider-Man in a year we would have been due for Raimi's Spider-Man 4. I think the audience is more accustomed of reboots these days whereas at one point there'd be confusion.

I do foresee that a reboot would have an uphill battle in other respects. Firstly convincing anyone who saw this and thought it was ******** to give another TMNT movie a chance.

Secondly (and I've said this before) but TMNT is at good time right now with the Nick show popping in way the 4kids show despite being successful in it's own right never quite did and older people the right age for nostalgia with young kids of their own. It's not turtlemania part II but the franchise is at a peak time that it's not been before and probably wont be again (at least not for a long time). Even if we get a really good movie years from now I think the window of opportunity for TMNT to be on the level of all the current comic book movies will have passed by then.

Think about it; Batman Begins despite being so well received didn't quite reignite the general public's interest in Batman. It was Ledger's death that got people really excited for The Dark Knight.

Not to mention this movie had an opportunity to wow people on all levels. Now that audience has seen a movie with big action scenes and the best cgi it wont have the same impact. It would feel more like a do-over than a complete reinvention.

Of course this is no reason for them not to try.

[Warboss74]

Well it wan't too long after Superman Returns that we got Man of Steel and we got Amazing Spider-Man in a year we would have been due for Raimi's Spider-Man 4. I think the audience is more accustomed of reboots these days whereas at one point there'd be confusion.

I do foresee that a reboot would have an uphill battle in other respects. Firstly convincing anyone who saw this and thought it was ******** to give another TMNT movie a chance.

Secondly (and I've said this before) but TMNT is at good time right now with the Nick show popping in way the 4kids show despite being successful in it's own right never quite did and older people the right age for nostalgia with young kids of their own. It's not turtlemania part II but the franchise is at a peak time that it's not been before and probably wont be again (at least not for a long time). Even if we get a really good movie years from now I think the window of opportunity for TMNT to be on the level of all the current comic book movies will have passed by then.

Think about it; Batman Begins despite being so well received didn't quite reignite the general public's interest in Batman. It was Ledger's death that got people really excited for The Dark Knight.

Not to mention this movie had an opportunity to wow people on all levels. Now that audience has seen a movie with big action scenes and the best cgi it wont have the same impact. It would feel more like a do-over than a complete reinvention.

Of course this is no reason for them not to try.
Superman Returns was a sequel to Superman I and II acting as if III and IV didn't exist while Man of Steel was a reboot. The Raimi Spider-Man already had a trilogy before being rebooted. My concern isn't about another reboot, but back to back reboot origin stories. Can a reboot afford to push some things back for a sequel to separate itself enough from the 2014 reboot. Will keep in some of those elements make the reboot seem to similar to the recent reboot and will that affect the robot's ability to make enough money to get a sequel?

[miru]

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

That would be great.

Or a Mutanimals spin off focused on Ninjara as she is captured by Bishop and placed with Ray, Mondo, Wingnut, and Screwloose. Leatherhead comes to rescue them and you do the math.

[RaphaelinSTL]

If I somehow had a handle on a reboot for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I would have them already established and fully formed TMNT. I kind of had some trilogy ideas in my head. Maybe you guys could help me? :tgrin:

Perhaps the first movie can deal with battling Baxter Stockman and someone he's "working for" and we finally get the mousers in a live action movie. Maybe sprinkle the Purple Dragons in there a bit? All the while, they defeat Baxter somehow and it's alluded to Baxter is working for someone named Shredder...but the end of the film we get out first real look at Krang.

Second movie is about more of the mutagen side of things and we'll get the arrival of Rocksteady and Bebop, who aren't as dull and dopey as their 80's version but they're not tough badasses like Raphael in this new movie was trying so hard and desperately to be. Stockman is also in the film as well and because we've had an attachment to him as a character in the first film...it's all the more shocking when he comes the Fly in this sequel. Maybe towards the latter part of the film, we get our first tease of the Shredder but we still don't see him yet. Krang and Stockman get defeated somehow but Shredder still doesn't get involved yet.

By the third movie, it's time for the final battle and we get our big reveal of the Shredder and we make it mean something again when the Turtles have to take on Saki.

Something along those lines at least, not fully formed ideas....but action beats at least.

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

Oh man, this is all I want really.

[Warhorse]

The first thing, get a script together where the movie's target demographic would be leaning more heavily towards teenagers and young adults. Just chuck the kiddy stuff. Batman, Superman, X-Men and even most of the latest string of Marvel movies have leaned towards a more mature audience, and you know what, the kids still flocked to those, and bought all of the toys, shirts, comicse and whatnot, without the movies being catered to tots and their soccer moms. I really think if they can see through these kinds of lenses, it will shape up a lot of problems the TMNT movies and the franchise as a whole has been facing. It's time to let the series grow up.

[RaphaelinSTL]

The first thing, get a script together where the movie's target demographic would be leaning more heavily towards teenagers and young adults. Just chuck the kiddy stuff. Batman, Superman, X-Men and even most of the latest string of Marvel movies have leaned towards a more mature audience, and you know what, the kids still flocked to those, and bought all of the toys, shirts, comicse and whatnot, without the movies being catered to tots and their soccer moms. I really think if they can see through these kinds of lenses, it will shape up a lot of problems the TMNT movies and the franchise as a whole has been facing. It's time to let the series grow up.

It's so sad to think we almost had that too before the Nickelodeon acquisition. I think the new Nick Turtles show is fine for what it is and I'm glad kids are digging it but the fact that the movie was in gearing up to be a return to it's roots and they even had casting and try outs for the Foot Soldiers as ninjas just makes me even more disappointed with what this movie is.

I agree, time to let the franchise become more.

[Bry]

Can I just watch this movie?

So far it's only screening in my brain. :twink:

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I would personally like them to make a reboot as close to the Mirage comics as possible, even more than the first movie ever did.

By the way, what are the chances of us getting a reboot either shortly after the sequel or a possible third movie?

[Davetello]

Yep, sign me up for a proper adaptation of Mirage as well. Although, as discussed previously, I'd go a step further and have a proper live-action, no holds barred television show by HBO, Netflix etc.

There's nothing wrong with the goofier, kiddie turtles. That's great and it gets new young fans into the show - I still enjoy it myself. But it's time that that logic stopped dominating everything to do with the turtles. Even the more serious iterations just seem to have to have Mikey acting like a goofball for large portions of the story, or lots of comedy moments. It's time to let the franchise flourish - make something for those of us who want to see the TMNT in an adult environment - something based completely on Mirage, be it a game, a television series or a film.

[Coola Yagami]

Why not adapt the cartoon with a more serious less goofy tone. Have Yoshi be splinter. Have shredder work with krang with robot foot soldiers and bebop and rocksteady for the second act after they failed? Maybe dig deeper into the rivalry of Yoshi and saki (tang Shen?) and just how shredder met krang. End it with the promise of the Technodrome and shredder finally giving krang a new robot body.

Basically the first five episodes minus Baxter and the neutrinos. And without the kiddy 80s cheese.

And of course make the turtles look like themselves. Shredder too. We need a dude that can pull off the shredder armor and look cool and still be a guy in bladed armor and not an all-out robot. Pls tmnt smashing up robot foot soldiers is gonna be all kinds of cool.

I mean the first movie was kinda mirage. Everything else was kinda sorta it's own thing. Even this movie Vernon and all was still more new stuff than an actual adaptation of the old cartoon. Have them try an all out cartoon adaptation. A live action version of the first give eps with a bit more realism and less cheese basically writes itself.

[Ville Leskinen]

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

Would you actually want another origin story? Just so we'd have one that was true to the 1984 comics?

[Candy Kappa]

And no damn noses or nostrils!


http://www.aqua.org/~/media/Images/Animals/Pig-Nosed%20Turtle/animals-pignosedturtle-slide4-web.jpg

[Davetello]

Why not adapt the cartoon with a more serious less goofy tone. Have Yoshi be splinter. Have shredder work with krang with robot foot soldiers and bebop and rocksteady for the second act after they failed? Maybe dig deeper into the rivalry of Yoshi and saki (tang Shen?) and just how shredder met krang. End it with the promise of the Technodrome and shredder finally giving krang a new robot body.

Basically the first five episodes minus Baxter and the neutrinos. And without the kiddy 80s cheese.

And of course make the turtles look like themselves. Shredder too. We need a dude that can pull off the shredder armor and look cool and still be a guy in bladed armor and not an all-out robot. Pls tmnt smashing up robot foot soldiers is gonna be all kinds of cool.

I mean the first movie was kinda mirage. Eveything else was kinda sorta it's own thing. Even this movie Vernon and all was still more new stuff than an actual adaptation of the old cartoon. Have them try an all out cartoon adaptation. A live action version of the first give eps with a bit more realism and less cheese basically writes itself.

That could be done, but I sorta feel that with 4kids they pushed the 'serious' tone as far as they could. Rightly or wrongly there is a stereotype that American cartoons can never be fully adult in nature - it would have to be an anime to have that sort of autonomy. Or DTV films like has been mentioned previously.

I just feel a live-action show made by the usual suspects offers so much more scope for taking liberties and pushing the envelope. It won't happen but that doesn't mean that it's a silly idea - lots of comics are being adapted for television so why not turtles? A big part of the problem is the fact that lots of people simply don't know any better - they think the turtles were created for the 1987 show, they simply don't realise that Mirage existed and was grittier in tone.

[Andrew NDB]

Yep, sign me up for a proper adaptation of Mirage as well.

Unfortunately Nick/Viacom have no interest in that whatsoever. They're only interested in doing 20 different Bebop and Rocksteady origins, and seeing how many different ways they can introduce the Technodrome and Krang.

[Davetello]

Unfortunately Nick/Viacom have no interest in that whatsoever. They're only interested in doing 20 different Bebop and Rocksteady origins, and seeing how many different ways they can introduce the Technodrome and Krang.

I know, but it's a hypothetical thread. Shame that's the way it is though.

Don't get me wrong - as I said I'm not against the more kiddie stuff. I do enjoy FW and Nick (I know you really, really don't, but bear with me). It's just that I want to see as much variety as possible - hypothetically, we can have that tone of turtles yet also the more troubled, edgier iterations. We should be able to have anything, not choose. As was implied by others above, other franchises have wildly different iterations - young kids didn't start killing people just because they saw the Joker do it in The Dark Knight. I know that Batman is a far more popular franchise than the turtles, but that's not really the point.

As you say, it will never happen, but it's nice to dream.

[Leolead]

I'm baaaaaack!!!!

[Warboss74]

I know, but it's a hypothetical thread. Shame that's the way it is though.

Don't get me wrong - as I said I'm not against the more kiddie stuff. I do enjoy FW and Nick (I know you really, really don't, but bear with me). It's just that I want to see as much variety as possible - hypothetically, we can have that tone of turtles yet also the more troubled, edgier iterations. We should be able to have anything, not choose. As was implied by others above, other franchises have wildly different iterations - young kids didn't start killing people just because they saw the Joker do it in The Dark Knight. I know that Batman is a far more popular franchise than the turtles, but that's not really the point.

As you say, it will never happen, but it's nice to dream.

I'm generally with Galactus on his opinion about what a feature film franchise should be. I'm all aboard with more Mirage style films, but I don't think you can ignore a large segment of the franchise in the product that's going to reach the largest audience. It's sad that in a PG-13 film the Turtles or bad guys never kill anyone in combat with the deadly weapons they use when characters drop dead throughout most major comic book movies. It's sad that the creative team feels pizza and Cowabunga are the single most important things about the characters.

Edit: Surprisingly I posted this in a different movie thread even though it addresses the question of the thread.
My dream film franchise would be an Ultimate styled telling like IDW is doing,but not exactly their Ultimate universe telling. I have had some thoughts about putting pen to paper and doing a long form telling of my definitive turtles story, but I'm going to be far too busy for the foreseeable future.

Film 1
Splinter knows the Shredder of the Foot Clan murdered his master Yoshi, but he doesn't know where to find him. That'll be the thread that allows the film to tie seemingly unrelated events together. The turtles would be younger and more inexperienced and that'll allow the film to end without a confrontation with the Shredder. The breakthrough in finding the Shredder would come in a telling of "The Passing" where the ninja that attempt to assassinate Hattori and his father are Foot ninja. With the help of Hattori, they find that the Purple Dragons are a street level outfit of the Foot, and they would be the best way to track down the Foot's HQ. Eventually, they're drawn into the climactic battle against members of the Purple Dragons including Bebop and Rocksteady as humans. Hun would be the direct contact to Shredder, so I don't think I would include him in the battle because of that. I could include Xever, although I'd never turn him into Fishface down the line. The end of the film has Splinter tells the turtles what they've been training for, but they still have much to do/learn before they can avenge master Yoshi. Post credit scene could be young intern April O'Neil be shown around Stockman Enterprises facility by Baxter, and she's finally shown the Mousers to end the scene.

A few other threads I'd carry over that aren't described here are Splinter before becoming Yoshi's pet and a mysterious man who happens to catch the turtles actions above ground.

Film 2
The turtles are tasked with gathering intel, and possibly frustrating any Foot/Purple Dragon activities along the way. On one these missions they run into April fleeing a Mouser attack. The turtles get dragged into that conflict. After Stockman and the Mousers are taken care of, Splinter finally deems the turtles ready to challenge the Shredder. The fight plays out like Mirage #1 except the turtles flee before confirming the Shredder is dead because a grenade going off would attract attention rather quickly. Would like to show some of the Foot hierarchy, and some more layers to the Shredder and the years after Yoshi's death. Have the Shredder command his empire through the likes of Tatsu, Khan, Bradford, Hun, Karai, and Pimiko whether or not they ever actually engage the turtles throughout the film. Tatsu, Khan, Bradford, and Hun would essentially be his generals in NYC while Karai, his adopted daughter, is working her way up the home branch of the Foot Clan to usurp it for the Shredder. Pimiko, his biological daughter, would still a teenager in training, but lay some of the groundwork for her rivalry with Karai. None of this needs to be focused on heavily to add the layers to the Shredder, and it lays the groundwork for a CAW film down the line. The post credit scene would be the mysterious man approaches a dying Shredder with a proposition. He'll save his life and grant him the power to exact revenge in exchange for the Foot's manpower and resources in hunting down his enemies.

Film 3
I'm not sure where I'd take the third film,but it's too soon to jump into Exile/Return to New York as some of things I'd like to followup or tie up need the Utroms. I know I'd like to introduce Casey Jones, and don't think I could do it with a Turtles in Space/Dimension X film. I could tie up the Splinter backstory with a Rat King film, but I don't know if that would fit quite yet either. I think Rat King would be a better fit for an Exile/Return to New York as the minor villain like Stockman and the Mousers.

Anways, that's what I've got right now, and I'd still need at least 3 more films to conclude the entire thing.

[RaphaelinSTL]

I'm baaaaaack!!!!

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111115203647/sims/images/2/2f/Tumbleweed.gif

[LeotheLateBloomer]

It's sad that the creative team feels pizza and Cowabunga are the single most important things about the characters.

While I love the 87 cartoon and what it has done for the property, I wish people would learn to sometimes steer away from it. You don't see modern interpretations of Batman draw source material from the Silver Age or 66 TV series.

[RaphaelinSTL]

While I love the 87 cartoon and what it has done for the property, I wish people would learn to sometimes steer away from it. You don't see modern interpretations of Batman draw source material from the Silver Age or 66 TV series.

Exactly. There's so much more rich history to pull from that they could truly find a way to balance all those tones and stories creatively if they put their heads to it. I guess I'm giving too much credit that Platinum Dunes or Liebesman really cared too much though.

It's why I don't believe all these bull reports of "Mr. Studio Yes Boy" Liebesman spending all this time to get to know the characters with Eastman as the movie's interpretations of each Turtle were shallow and surface level basics. That could just be due to editing and leaving so much off the cutting room floor...but who knows. In the end, you judge a movie by it's final product and there's just so much that's flawed with TMNT 2014.

The TMNT franchise deserves it's own version of "the Dark Knight."

[Xav]

I know it will never happen but I would like an animated adaptation of the Turtles in Space arc or an anthology style Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.We already got an animated adaptation of Turtles in Space in the 4Kids toon.

[Commenter 42]

I have my list of directors that would go very dark, and service the Mirage story to the utmost, but now that he's proven himself, I honestly think James Gunn would do a great job.

David Fincher, Larry Clark or even Chris Cunningham would still be on the top of my list though.

[chrisdude]

While I love the 87 cartoon and what it has done for the property, I wish people would learn to sometimes steer away from it. You don't see modern interpretations of Batman draw source material from the Silver Age or 66 TV series.Joel Schumacher.

The Mirage comics are the original thing, and the cartoon followed second. But we got a movie and a cartoon based primarily on the comics. Despite probably being the most widely known version of TMNT, I feel like the 87 cartoon influences are just now coming back with the Nick cartoon and IDW comics. While I have no desire to see Dark Knight Ninja Turtles, I don't consider it a bad idea. I feel like there's room for both, but I also like the way the current cartoons and comics are blending them. Today's kids probably won't grow up divided.

[Lou 500]

http://www.aqua.org/~/media/Images/Animals/Pig-Nosed%20Turtle/animals-pignosedturtle-slide4-web.jpg

Scrotum nose.


If I had the honor of orchestrating the next reboot, it would probably be Nolan-esque, but oblivious to the ludicrousness of its subject matter. The film, like the comic, narrates itself seriously despite it's audience knowing it's a parody. Wasn't this the reason for its success?

- The turtles would look more like RES than any other incarnation. They would have the stripes, the blotches on the plastron and the skin would be almost black in color - I know people would object to this but I think it would actually aid them as ninjas by being the same colour as the darkness they hide in. Most controversially, I would consider doing away with the headbands and let their head stripes be their "masks" as a homage to the comic where they all had red bandannas. They would also be short. Like, 5'1".

- The story would basically follow the comic and the film would open with the rooftop fight in the first mirage comic, the style even resembling the comic with a dark backdrop and muted colours save for the headbands/head stripes and blood. Think Sin City.

- The year would be set in 1984. (The same year the comic debuted)

- Splinter would be a mutated Hamato Yoshi.

[Commenter 42]

Scrotum nose.


If I had the honor of orchestrating the next reboot, it would probably be Nolan-esque, but oblivious to the ludicrousness of its subject matter. The film, like the comic, narrates itself seriously despite it's audience knowing it's a parody. Wasn't this the reason for its success?

- The turtles would look more like RES than any other incarnation. They would have the stripes, the blotches on the plastron and the skin would be almost black in color - I know people would object to this but I think it would actually aid them as ninjas by being the same colour as the darkness they hide in. Most controversially, I would consider doing away with the headbands and let their head stripes be their "masks" as a homage to the comic where they all had red bandannas. They would also be short. Like, 5'1".

- The story would basically follow the comic and the film would open with the rooftop fight in the first mirage comic, the style even resembling the comic with a dark backdrop and muted colours save for the headbands/head stripes and blood. Think Sin City.

- The year would be set in 1984. (The same year the comic debuted)

OMG yes. Yes to all of this.

But I'd swap Nolan-esque with Fincher.

[Walkabout]

The one thing they haven't tried at this point: a proper adaptation of the original comics by a real director with a passion and a vision for an original take on the material with enough Hollywood clout to not have to kowtow to Playmates and focus groups.

But that's never going to happen.

This, exactly this.

[Purse Grabbin Puke]

While I love the 87 cartoon and what it has done for the property, I wish people would learn to sometimes steer away from it. You don't see modern interpretations of Batman draw source material from the Silver Age or 66 TV series.

Everyone needs to realize the main objective to a studio making an action movie is to make money. When you are rebooting something that has nostalgia, you have certain things that will bring the smallest non die hard fans in. Cowabunga and pizza sadly are probably the thing remembered most by casual fans from the 80's. They have to include those two things so people will see it and go "Oh man! I remember that!" and go and see the movie. They did the right thing by not overflowing the movie w/ pizza and cowabunga. They actually took a lot of the basic ideas from newer versions of TMNT.

You are not going to get the die hard fan's version of the Turtles, unless it's made on an indie budget again. When there is so much money being thrown into a project they have to figure out ways to get people interested. I really think people should take that in to account when they see a big budget action movie. There are exceptions to the rule of course, most recently GotG, I'm not familiar w/ the source material, but from what I read it's a pretty close adaptation. And that broke box office records. Maybe more studios will take a risk now.

I just hope when it comes to this sequel, they get a better director, and a longer movie. And I think it would help to work w/ Ciro Nieli to help pen the 2nd and possibly 3rd movie. Not have it connect to the Nick cartoon, but Ciro, in my opinion has put out the best TMNT material since the 1st movie.

[Warhorse]

While I love the 87 cartoon and what it has done for the property, I wish people would learn to sometimes steer away from it. You don't see modern interpretations of Batman draw source material from the Silver Age or 66 TV series.

Thank goodness for that too. Eh, give it time. Maybe we will get our Christopher Nolan yet. We already had our Tim Burton movie, via the 1990, but I guess we need to let the studios dabble into some stuff before we get Nolan level stuff to come to light.

Only thing, now, I just don't know if I want another exact reboot, the Turtles saving April, Splinter telling them story all over again. Maybe mix it up, where we see the Turtles in training before they become vigilantes, maybe make it a bit mystical where Splinter sends them on a quest to a far off land. I swear, TMNT has got to be the most retold origin story in the history of comic book/movie/TV show franchises.

[Shark_Blade]

I let Michael Bay himself direct the movie.

[Coola Yagami]

I let Michael Bay himself direct the movie.

Quit trollin

[Powder]

Trolling or not, he'd do better at it than Liebesman, even if only by a little.

[Coola Yagami]

Trolling or not, he'd do better at it than Liebesman, even if only by a little.

I honestly thought it would be pretty much the same or worse. The movie is full of way too many Bay-isms as is, so imagine him taking full control or scripting and everything?

I considered it as trolling because even if he was serious, Bay is already involved. Why would the same people do a reboot? Reboots are done when some other company takes over.

[Xiewin]

Wasn't it Bay's idea to make the turtles big in the first place?

[Powder]

I honestly thought it would be pretty much the same or worse. The movie is full of way too many Bay-isms as is, so imagine him taking full control or scripting and everything?

I considered it as trolling because even if he was serious, Bay is already involved. Why would the same people do a reboot? Reboots are done when some other company takes over.

I mostly just meant on a scene shooting level. The cinematography of the new film is very poor, IMO.

[Warhorse]

I mostly just meant on a scene shooting level. The cinematography of the new film is very poor, IMO.

Yeah it was. I had a hard time making out what the hell was going on half the time. Especially during the fight scenes. Captain America 2 was shaky, but damn, at least I could still see what the f$%^&ck was going on. Not with TMNT though.

[shuriken]

If I were to make a trilogy I'd incorporate some of these elements into my universe.
-I'd have them be ninjas that rely on stealth and finesse as opposed to brute strength. That being said Raph would be the physically strongest of the bunch while not being Hulk jr.
-Have them use elbow pads, knee pads and hand/foot wraps. Of course some of their gear will be slightly different. Leo is more streamlined, Donnie would have a full utility belt, Mikey is a bit more flashy and Raph is the most traditional, only with Jin Kazama like gauntlets.
-their height would range from 5-8(Donnie), 5-7 (Leo and Raph) and 5-5 (Mikey) Splinter will be around 4 feet tall.
-Let the Turtles be the main focus, with emphasis on Leo (he never had a big focus in ANY of the movies, always upstaged by one of his brothers).
-Have it be Casey Jones that meets the Turtles first, after getting into it with some Purple Dragons. It'd be cool to see the crime wave through his eyes first.
-Incorporate elements of IDW as in the reincarnation angle and Stockman being one of the minds behind the ooze.
-April would be a part of the movie, but it wouldn't revolve around her.
-Have Angel, Chet, Harold, Nobody(the cop) and Woody be in the movies. None of these characters are guaranteed to last through the whole movie.
-Turtles would not be bullet proof. Just their shells, and even then it would hurt like hell.
-Leo Slices and dices, Mikey and Donnie use Blunt force trauma and Raph goes for pressure points and weak spots.
-Foot Ninjas will use various weapons, including guns, but katana, yari's, staffs, nun chucks, and sais are used more.

1st movie- The TMNT vs the Purple Dragons and their Leader Hun, who is working for the underworld kingpin the Shredder. As opposed to IDW though Splinter only has flashes of his past life, and as the story goes, he remembers more and more of their origin. Movie ends with Oroko Saki's apparent death and Casey overcoming his corrupted father Hun.

2nd- Baxter Stockman and General Krang attempting to terra form Earth. Eventually Baxter turns on Krang, helping the Turtles destroy the Technodrome and send Krang to Dimension x. The toll on the TMNT is great as all of them are left battered and broken in the final battle, leaving New York to Casey's old Farm house. Baxter survives and has a whole batch of ooze just waiting to be utilized.

3rd-The Turtles return to New York only to find it in worse shape than ever as the Foot, Purple Dragons and various crime syndicates are vying for control. Meanwhile Baxter begins selling his ooze on the black market while experimenting with it, essentially playing all sides. Shredder seemingly returns from the grave to exact revenge on the Turtles. With Baxter's help he is able to create 3 clones and a massive snapping turtle Mutant affectionately called Slash. various other syndicates create their own mutant monstrosities, Bloodsucker and Old Hob come to mind.

[Shark_Blade]

Quit trollin
I'm not.

He's better than Liebsman at overall bringing movie scenes to life, though I take it as it is with the reboot. It's still good, mind.

[Technogeek29]

If I were to make a trilogy I'd incorporate some of these elements into my universe.
-I'd have them be ninjas that rely on stealth and finesse as opposed to brute strength. That being said Raph would be the physically strongest of the bunch while not being Hulk jr.
-Have them use elbow pads, knee pads and hand/foot wraps. Of course some of their gear will be slightly different. Leo is more streamlined, Donnie would have a full utility belt, Mikey is a bit more flashy and Raph is the most traditional, only with Jin Kazama like gauntlets.
-their height would range from 5-8(Donnie), 5-7 (Leo and Raph) and 5-5 (Mikey) Splinter will be around 4 feet tall.
-Let the Turtles be the main focus, with emphasis on Leo (he never had a big focus in ANY of the movies, always upstaged by one of his brothers).
-Have it be Casey Jones that meets the Turtles first, after getting into it with some Purple Dragons. It'd be cool to see the crime wave through his eyes first.
-Incorporate elements of IDW as in the reincarnation angle and Stockman being one of the minds behind the ooze.
-April would be a part of the movie, but it wouldn't revolve around her.
-Have Angel, Chet, Harold, Nobody(the cop) and Woody be in the movies. None of these characters are guaranteed to last through the whole movie.
-Turtles would not be bullet proof. Just their shells, and even then it would hurt like hell.
-Leo Slices and dices, Mikey and Donnie use Blunt force trauma and Raph goes for pressure points and weak spots.
-Foot Ninjas will use various weapons, including guns, but katana, yari's, staffs, nun chucks, and sais are used more.

1st movie- The TMNT vs the Purple Dragons and their Leader Hun, who is working for the underworld kingpin the Shredder. As opposed to IDW though Splinter only has flashes of his past life, and as the story goes, he remembers more and more of their origin. Movie ends with Oroko Saki's apparent death and Casey overcoming his corrupted father Hun.

2nd- Baxter Stockman and General Krang attempting to terra form Earth. Eventually Baxter turns on Krang, helping the Turtles destroy the Technodrome and send Krang to Dimension x. The toll on the TMNT is great as all of them are left battered and broken in the final battle, leaving New York to Casey's old Farm house. Baxter survives and has a whole batch of ooze just waiting to be utilized.

3rd-The Turtles return to New York only to find it in worse shape than ever as the Foot, Purple Dragons and various crime syndicates are vying for control. Meanwhile Baxter begins selling his ooze on the black market while experimenting with it, essentially playing all sides. Shredder seemingly returns from the grave to exact revenge on the Turtles. With Baxter's help he is able to create 3 clones and a massive snapping turtle Mutant affectionately called Slash. various other syndicates create their own mutant monstrosities, Bloodsucker and Old Hob come to mind.

I could go with that. One thing I would change is Yoshi expecting to be a father but never getting the chance, Saki will kill Shen before she gives birth. Of course you have to feel for Saki to so Yoshi had to have taken something equally as viable. What I'm not sure it would add the one missing element from the Mirage with Splinter raising the Turtles out of selfish gain (at least at first) later learns to care about them beyond his personal vendetta.

[D Piddy 1982]

It's been touched on here already, so I'm really only posting to say I agree with the notion of starting the first film based on Stockman and his mousers, with a dark shadowy figure in the background - Shredder. But no Turtles vs Shredder fight in this film.

On top of that you could even have the Krang directing Shredder.

I would also have Splinter as Yoshi mutated into a rat, not a rat into human form. I would also like to see a Splinter that appears old and weak but can make audiences gasp with surprise when he has a fight with Shredder in further films.

But yeah. Drop the Shredder as the be all and end all for a main bad guy/only option.

It all seems so simple and obvious. How they mucked this 2014 reboot up I'll never know...

[Basti50]

If I could do a reboot, I would probably also shoot for a trilogy structure, following the turtles from their 16th to 18th birthday and their development from children to teenagers to adults to heroes.

This post actually got quiet long as I kept on writing, especially for the second part, so I've put them in spoiler tags for better readability. EDIT: Actually had to split the post up too as it did hit the characters limit, wow! I tend to blather, sorry :D

The first film has the theme of young people trying to find their place in the world. This is emphasized by the turtles initial lack of distinguishable features (no colour code and they switch weapons among each other occasionally).
I guess it would start out with the turtles sneaking out against Splinters wishes to explore the brave new world outside. The climax of that being them aiding Casey Jones protecting his parents store against some street punks. He serves as their link to the above world for the rest of the film and comes up with the idea of distinguishing them by colour as he has a hard time to tell them apart. To do that he hands them torn off pieces from a peace flag, meant as wristbands. This is when comic book nerd Mickey comes up with the idea of using them as masks instead and for the turtles to take on a 'hero identity'. He argues that by doing so, they could use their training to do some good and there might be even a small hope that they will, ultimately, get accepted by the world at large as they got accepted by Casey. So this is how it all begins: four teenagers having a silly idea.
The rest of the film focuses mostly on team building and establishing the turtles personalities as they + Casey clean up the streets of New York from criminals. The fights are primarily teens vs. teens with lots of improvised weaponry and fighting styles. You can see a crass contrast between the enemies they face (teenagers from broken homes, those with no hope for a better future or those who are just bored of life in general) and themselves (as they lived a rather sheltered life up until that point). The main antagonist is revealed to be Hun, head of the Purple Dragon, who is exploiting these youths to do the dirty work. It ends with a climatic battle between him and the turtles (o'course) and his arrest by the police. While it is shown that the destruction of the Purple Dargon isn't a cure for all ills (especially considering those criminal teens), it gives the turtles the motivation to carry on with what they're doing as they see themselves on the right track. In the last scene, we witness Hun confessing to some detectives that he was involved in illegal foreign weapon trade and that he's willing to exchange informations for some 'juridical favours'. Specifically, he's willing to give out informations about that Foot Clan the detectives are asking him about as those transactions were fairly recently. Before Hun gets a chance to spill his guts however, the detectives are revealed to be agents of the very same Foot Clan and it is heavily implied that they do/will assassinate Hun to protect their secrets.

Fast forward one year later to the second film, we watch as the conflict between turtles and Foot Clan unfolds. The turtles are an established urban legend by now and feared by the underworld.
It starts with Mickey having a talk with Splinter about how he's afraid that his brothers are growing apart. Donnie spends more time with his research rather than helping them out. Raph (and Casey for that matter) grows increasingly frustrated that crime still apparently flourishes in New York, despite their best efforts and that feeling is starting to turn him into a tireless zealot, much to Mickeys dismay. Leonardo on the other hand, while trying to keep his brothers save from increasingly dangerous foes, is less and less willing to put them to risk and Mickey has the suspicion that his brother is going solo in secret. He would like to change the situation but is concerned that this might be just the nature of things when growing up and he would be trying to fix what isn't broken. Splinter however encourages him very much to get involved if he truly wishes so as people's characters are also forged by the people surrounding them which too is quiet natural, for better or worse.
Switching over to Donnie who is chatting with an online friend. He, indirectly, confesses to him/her that he doesn't feel like he shares the passion of his brothers when it comes to fighting the good fight and that he sees his true destiny in the scientific field. Strangely enough, his friend in response asks him if he was ever in the position to have to do something dangerous for the right purpose.
The friend turns out to be April O'Neil, who works as an intern at an American-Japanese shipping company, which serves as a legal front for the Foot Clan's weapon smuggling. She finds out about it by accident as a file not meant for her passes her desk which reveals some of those illegal transactions and hinting at the connection between her company and the Japanese crime syndicate. By 'doing something dangerous' she means bringing those files to the authorities before someone realizes that they are missing.
Donnie responds that he had indeed been in the position and that he still did it anyway since it seemed like the right thing to do, unwittingly encouraging April to go forth with her plan. She returns to the office at night to retrieve the files but, due to an unfortunate chain of events, has to retreat to the office cafeteria before she can make her escape with them. There, she bumps into Oruko Saki on his quest to conquer his jet-lag with some caffeine. A rather short but muscular man, apparently in his late forties, with his face disfigured by large scars, which would seem frightening if it wouldn't be for his friendly, slightly helpless manners as a foreigner. He introduces himself as a prospective customer who just moved to the US with his family in hopes to expands his own business across international borders. While the conversation between him and April has a friendly tone, Saki doesn't fail to recognize the file she's carrying with her. Once she makes her hastily retreat, he contacts his henchmen to follow and eliminate the leak.
April is therefore soon attacked by Foot Clan ninjas when returning to her apartment but is saved by the turtles. They have been trying to shadow the Foot for a while by now but had a hard time doing so as these people, unlike the criminals they've faced before, actually know the trade (which, as a plus for the viewer, also results in more professional martial arts fight scenes). April is their first concrete lead to bring the organisation down and also the first to bring up the name Saki, who, after some research, is assumed to be the Foot's head of operation in New York.
Feigning hope that they can resolve the conflict with help of April's evidence, Leonardo later on tries to assassinate Saki on his own as he believes it to be the necessary choice that has to be made, if they want to get rid of the Foot for good. The attempt fails but Saki, believing to recognize the fighting techniques of the green demon as those of someone he once knew, offers him a strange 'deal' in form of regular training sessions. If Leo manages to beat him only once, he will leave with no need for anyone to get their hands dirty. These sessions are of course more of a ruse to gather more intel on the turtles but it also gives Saki a good opportunity trying to manipulate a clearly morally conflicted Leo with his own lessons about right and wrong.

[Basti50]

Part 2 continued

The film splits up into two story threads from here: The main plot focuses in the heroes (including April & Casey) trying to fight the Foot on all fronts while keeping each other alive. The secondary plot involves the turtles consulting either Splinter (Mickey, Donnie, Raph) or Saki (Leo) about their internal struggles. Each of these conversation would trigger a flashback that depicts the life Saki and his best friend, Hamato Yoshi, from their time as street children to partners in crime until they get recruited by the Foot Clan. A once honourable league of peasants loyal to the emperor in the Japanese medieval times, now turned into a den of criminal minded pragmatists, who are willing to go to any lengths to prove their worthiness. Working their way up the food chain, both men fall in love with a woman called Tang Shen, the daughter of the 'Ancient One', a high ranking member of the Foot.
Those flashbacks aren't necessarily in chronological order as they are primarily setting up the connection between the virtues of the individual turtles and of those characters from the past, as well as showcasing for the later how these virtues can get corrupted as time goes on. In more technical terms of virtue/corruption that would be
Mickey → Shen = Innocence / Helplessness,
Raph → Yoshi = Ambition / Carelessness,
Leonardo → Saki = Responsibility / Paranoia
Donnie → Saki = Thoughtfulness / Over-thinking
The most creepy thing about those insights is that you can see the phantom of a good person within the Saki character (e.g. his refusal to use guns because he once accidentally shot a bystander during a robbery gone ugly) which is still kinda there yet twisted to something horrible (e.g. he will claim to Leo that there is no way to conquer the evils of this world but there are ways to control it, which, in his mind, is what he's trying to do).
Meanwhile, Splinter has also become aware that the turtles are in pursuit of the Foot and is doing his part to resolve the conflict his own way. This includes a surprise visit to Shen who is very much alive and who is currently sharing a rather unhappy marriage with Saki. While he doesn't show his appearance to her, he reveals himself to be Yoshi. This doesn't earn him much with the estranged Saki, who blames him for something that happened in the past and refuses him help.
It is around that point that Saki has figured out that the turtles must have been trained by Yoshi and has a fairly accurate pinpoint on their location. He gives Leo one last chance to beat him in a training session, which he again loses. Saki then apologizes to his new scaly friend that he's ruined his final opportunity to come out of this clean before Leo gets ambushed and captured. He's used as bait to lure Splinter and the turtles out of the lair while Saki's ninjas can clear out their lair of any evidence and leave a nasty surprise, in case the heroes make it back. This plan is partly thwarted by April, who is hiding out in the lair for protection and Donnie, who claims that he's more use on the computer and thus stayed behind, although they fail to save the evidence.
Splinter faces Saki for the first time after all these years and the later reveals that he had Shen killed shortly after Splinter's visit as he 'wasn't willing to take chances'. This causes him to be attacked by an enraged Splinter but he's able to fend it off, mortally wounding his former friend in the process. The rest of the cast manages to save both Leo and Splinter and retreat to Casey's place to recuperate.
Splinter, on death's doorstep, tells them the final part of his and Saki's story in Japan. He confesses that the Ancient One chose Saki over him for Shen's hand and thus, indirectly, to be his successor. Enraged by both the loss of Shen and his jealousy of Saki's success, he ambushed him and forced him to a fight to the death. Using the trademark bladed gauntlets, he brutally beat Saki, disfiguring his face and almost killed him if it hadn't been for a last minute intervention by Foot Clan members, which prompted Splinter/Yoshi to flee Japan in shame. After finishing his story, Splinter apologizes to his sons that he wasn't able to protect them from his past but, if anything, he hopes that he was able to set them on the right path, so they would not do the same mistakes in the future.
The turtles, apparently out for revenge, challenge Saki to one final fight on the New Yorker rooftops where they face off against him, now fully armoured and his elite ninjas. This turns out to be a ruse to give April and Casey a chance to infiltrate the Foot's local headquarters, severely crippling their operations in the US. Angered by that realisation, Saki disarms Leo and is about deal the finishing blow when Leo suddenly stabs him repeatedly with a hidden knife. Seeing as there is no longer a way for him to get out of this alive, Saki claws himself into Leo's shoulder and tries to blow them both up. Raph makes a last second save by ripping them both apart and kicking Saki off the roof just before the explosion goes off.
The story ends on a quiet note, with everyone sitting together, still physically and psychologically exhausted but glad to be together and with the turtles having resolved their internal struggles. Donnie realizes that it's a good thing to be able to put your thoughts to action as well, Mickey is more confident when speaking his own mind against his brothers, Raph admits that being obsessed with the 'big picture' doesn't bring you much when you lose sight of the people you care about and Leo is now willing to share responsibilities with his brothers as only tyrants make lone decisions for everybody.
The film closes with a recovered Splinter proclaiming that this gathering is not to celebrate a victory but the end of a tragedy.

Film number three deals with a full blown Triceraton invasion on earth and the turtles using all their accumulated ninja skills to drive back an enemy who has the advantage in numbers, physical strength and technology.
It starts off on Cassey's family farm with a badly hurt Donnie waking up in the bathtub. The others explain to him that his injuries are due to a failed bomb disposal he walked out of too late and that the Triceraton have taken over New York. After a short recreation period to establish the scenario, the turtles & Co return to the Big Apple to set things right. Despite some gritty scenes about Triceraton prison camps and the depiction of their brutality against New Yorker citizens, the rest of the story has mostly a very light tone and is more of a parody of modern superhero films with several jabs at common tropes. This includes a complaint of Raph about the apparent need to tell their origin story anew at every opportunity, the necessity for big explosions to happen although the turtles actually do the most damage when they aren't heard, unnecessary yet glorified self-sacrifices and the discovery of one convenient 'kill switch' for the entire invasion fleet.
The finale has the turtles travelling to space to the alien mother ship, facing the main villain, a very ill tempered Triceraton warlord, before activating the self destruct system. However, as the explosion radius is too large, Donnie is forced to make a jump through space to an unknown location in the galaxy before he and his brothers can make their escape. Now stranded in a galaxy far, far away, Raph remarks that, seeing they just saved the entire world, one more adventure isn't going to kill them, so they set forth to find their way home.