Jonathan Liebesman Directing Ninja Turtles Reboot Platinum Dunes Is Insisting You Want
Wed, February 15, 2012 
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reached their peak in pop-culture during the late 80s/early 90s with the animated series and accompanying toy line. I know because I was one of those little kids obsessed with all things "Turtle Power!" But like all popular trends, their moment in the sun came and went, and Hollywood has been trying to make it viable again ever since with more cartoons, toys and even a live-action series that just didn't take.
All due respect to fans, those old enough to be hooked by the originating Kevin Eastman/Peter Laird comics or those closer to my age into Turtle mania with the action-figures and Saturday-morning toons, I don't know how many more times some production company or studio with cash in their pockets and hungry to make more with a brand-name, known property can spend their resources trying to revitalize the Ninja Turtles till they come to the realization that its past that point.
Platinum Dunes think they're the guys to buck that trend since they brought back Leatherface, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger to the big screens. Notice I didn't say "successfully brought back" since we never got those sequels to the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street remakes. Josh Appelbaum and Andrew Nemec (fresh off Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) are the latest writers onboard and reports Variety Jonathan Liebesman is in talks to direct.
Liebesman's coming off the sequel nobody demanded Wrath of the Titans opening next month. While I have nothing particularly against his filmmaking credentials, I go back to my talking points. Who is begging for a return of the Ninja Turtles these days?
Reader Comments (3)
"Who is begging for a return of the Ninja Turtles these days?"
I am Jamie! I am!
I'll watch it, but like Robocop, I think that this is a concept better left to context of the 80s/early 90s. Hell, the teenage stereotypes don't even really hold up now-a-days.Maybe they should make it a 1980s period piece, but now I'm just over thinking it.
I have something against his filmography Jamie. Friday and Elm Street are terrible films and Battle L.A ain't much better. He's a terrible director who was hired to direct a movie that nobody will care about.