Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes Takes Control Over New TMNT

[AristotleP]

 

Aw hell no! We've got some bad news to report on today. Deadline is saying that Paramount, who picked up all of the rights to TMNT through Nickolodeon, has "brought on" Michael Bay and his production company Platinum Dunes to develop the new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie that's currently in the works. Platinum Dunes, run by producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller, is usually known for making horror movies, mostly remakes, so they're trying something new by taking this on. The producers will start meeting with writers over the next few weeks, which may mean they'll be going at this from scratch again.

Back in April of last year it was announced that a new live-action TMNT movie was in the works, due in 2011 or 2012, and it was being developed by co-creator Peter Laird and (at the time) Legendary Pictures. But then Nickelodeon bought all the TMNT rights for $60 million and then Paramount gained control of the project. Thankfully, producers Galen Walker and Scott Mednick, who spoke at Comic-Con just last year about making this a darker movie inspired by the comics, are still on-board. However, that script from John Fusco might be thrown out or reworked, but we don't know for sure, since not much else was revealed by Deadline.

Here's the thing - I don't have as big of a gripe with Platinum Dunes as most people do, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller are good people who are just trying to make good movies, but I just would've preferred someone else to develop this project. Deadline's article reads like Michael Bay is going to have his hands deep into this project, which I also don't want, but I guess there's not much we can do about that. I don't think Bay's influence has hurt any of Platinum Dunes' other horror movies, so I'll be hoping for the best with TMNT in the end. We'll keep you updated on all the latest regarding this project as things continue to move forward.


First Showing

[dnwilliams]

Dunno what to think. I was a huge Turtles fan growing up.

[AristotleP]

Dunno what to think. I was a huge Turtles fan growing up.

Same 

[dalmatianjaws]

So far their movies have ranged from *meh* (Last House on the Left) to get-wrenchingly awful (TCM remake) so I don't hold out much hope. Then again, TMNT isn't exactly a film classic. If they work with the original comic or something, get a solid writer, it could be alright.