There was talk that a new live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was on its way and then everything on the half-shell front got quiet.
Well it seems now that the rights to the Turtles has been sold off and entertainment giant Viacom has picked up the prize.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been acquired by Viacom for $60 million and they’ll be airing a brand new CG-animated Turtles show on Nickelodeon, slated to premiere in 2012 – and of course, they will also acquire all merchandising rights. They also have a new theatrical movie in the works by Viacom’s sister company Paramount, although it is not clear if this will also be a CG venture, a live action film like the originals, or a blend of the two, nor is it clear if it will be directly related to the developing television show.
I really liked the animation style of the Imagi Studio CG flick that had just the right blend of the hokey Cowabunga style Turtles and a dash of the dark gritty Turtles the franchise is based on. Granted there was more Cowabunga than Eastman and Laird’s black and white, but it was still a step in the right direction.
That they proposed animated series will be on Nickelodeon makes me think the surfer dude style turtles will be back and there will be little maturity to it, however if the planned feature film keeps the same feel as the recent animated feature, it could appeal to the half of the audience that the Nickelodeon one loses.
I will be watching our noble Turtles with great interest!
