Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo are a step closer to making their big-screen debut as computer-animated characters. The Weinstein Co. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced on Monday that they will join forces to distribute the first all-CG movie based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
The yet-untitled Turtles outing is set for release early in 2007 and will be directed by animator/comic-book artist Kevin Munroe from a screenplay he wrote with help from Laird, who will serve as exec producer along with Francis Kao, Gary Richardson and Frederick U. Fierst. Thomas K. Gray and Galen Walker are handling producing duties. The computer animation will be completed by Imagi Animation Studios in Hong Kong, which sold worldwide movie distribution rights to Warner and Weinstein.
Munroe has been involved with the writing and design of projects for Disney, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, WWE, Fox Kids, The Jim Henson Co., Kids’ WB! Dark Horse Ent., IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon. He also created, wrote, produced, designed and directed the CG Christmas special Donner for ABC, and co-wrote the Imagi feature Cat Tale.
Laird and Eastman launched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with a 40-page, black-and-white comic book published in 1984. Three feature films and an animated series soon followed. The toxically transformed terrapins made their triumphant television return in February of 2003 on Fox’s 4Kids TV in the U.S. The series also airs weekdays on Cartoon Network’s Miguzi afternoon action/adventure block. 4Kids Ent. Inc will handle worldwide merchandising rights for the new movie.
This latest feature will be rated PG and promises to derive its tone from the original comic-book series, offering a slightly grittier look and feel than the live-efforts of the ’90s.
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