Paramount develops third ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ franchise
The wait has been long but finally, we can shout "Cowabunga!" again. Paramount is developing a new 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' movie to relaunch the franchise, which will be their third installment. The studio has made two Ninja Turtles movies based on the 1980s comic by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird that had an entire generation of cult following especially in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The first movie, released in 2014, grossed $493 million worldwide while 2016’s 'Out of the Shadows', mellowed with $245 million. The movies starred Megan Fox as April O'Neil and Will Arnett as her cameraman Vern. Both films starred Pete Ploszek as Leonardo, Alan Ritchson as Raphael, Noel Fisher as Michelangelo and Jeremy Howard as Donatello. However, both the movies weren't massive hits. However, in 1987, the Turtles got their own animated show which became hugely popular around the world, leading to toys, video games and a live-action film in 1990 and two sequels.
New Line released three low-cost 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' movies in the early 1990s. While the first film was a hit with $201 million worldwide, the second grossed $78 million domestically, and the third took in $42 million. The first and the second version of Paramount's 'Ninja Turtles' were made before Jim Gianopulos took over as chairman of the studio and ever since he's taken over the chair, the executive is focusing on getting the studio's franchises back in shape.
Now that Paramount has hired 'Bad Words' writer Andrew Dodge to pen the script, insiders are now hoping that the script will "bring a patina of quality" to the franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller (the trio behind John Krasinski's A Quiet Place) will produce through their company Platinum Dunes.
Dodge was praised for his writing on 'Bad Words', a script that had made it on to Hollywood's 'Black List' of the best as-yet-unproduced screenplays. Dodge is currently said to be working on 'Space Jam 2' and the comedy 'O' Lucky Day', which has 'Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage as the star.
As for those who aren't aware of the franchise, 'Ninja Turtles' chronicles the adventures of four mutated turtles in their teens, named after Renaissance artists; Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello, using ninja skills acquired from a radioactive New York City rat.