Turtles Triumphant Return

What’s green, computer generated, action packed and due out for a sequel (of sorts) in 2007? Thankfully, NOT the Incredible Hulk. Those ooze-boosted amphibians, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will be making their way back to theatres as computer generated characters in 2007.

Details are a bit sketchy yet, but we know that half of the original turtle comic team, Peter Laird, is overseeing the project helmed by Warner Bros. Some may remember the mildly succesful live action films created in the 90’s that featured impressive man-in-suit animatronic turtles and a theme song by Vanilla Ice. Like it’s predecessors, this film is already aiming for a PG rating, but intends to have a darker (check your buzz words), grittier look.

Hong Kong animation house, Imagi Animation Studios, is handling the grunt work. Their previous experience has been primarily in television and direct-to-video work including the short lived “Father of the Pride” series for NBC. Personally I found the animation in the show good, despite the lacking story lines, though porting the same look would not necessarily fit the darker environments that the turtles lend themselves to.

I loved the series as a kid and had many a screaming fit to get the toys, so I’ll continue to watch and report as news becomes available.